


Aziraphale on Trial

by CardnialCopiaReadsYourSlashToRepent



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Anxious Aziraphale (Good Omens), Arguing, Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), BAMF Aziraphale (Good Omens), Beelzebub has anger issues too, Bible Quotes, Biblical Reinterpretation, Crowley Was Raphael Before He Fell (Good Omens), Disposable Demon is also here too, Drinking & Talking, Gabriel Knows, Gabriel Needs a Hug, Gabriel has anger issues, Gabriel loves Rapheal (Good Omens), God knows, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I broke gabriel, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, M/M, Micheal is a good friend, Mildly Dubious Consent, Minor Violence, Neck Kissing, POV Gabriel, POV Micheal, Sad with a Happy Ending, Sandalaphon is here cause I love him, Wings, and a few stiches, but I named him something else
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-18
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-06-30 10:52:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 28,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19851637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CardnialCopiaReadsYourSlashToRepent/pseuds/CardnialCopiaReadsYourSlashToRepent
Summary: Gabriel, the angel of revelations, gets a revelation from God that the Champion of Heaven on Earth might be hiding something from him. Little did he know it was the one person in the universe he had ever loved.





	1. The Revelation

**Author's Note:**

> Just like the Southern Baptist church, I've interpreted the Bible once again to fit my fancies and hopefully, you like it too. Did a little digging into Gabriel (because I love him) and found some cool facts that I thought I could turn into a fic, some of it a little weird and some that are totally metal.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel, the angel of revelation, gets a revelation from God that Aziraphale is hiding something from Heaven. Little did he know it was the one person in all of eternity he’s ever loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to Redditor DominoPaint for making FanArt of this. It is much appreciated!
> 
> Go check it out at:
> 
> https://www.reddit.com/r/goodomens/comments/cupy1t/neon_gabriel_for_aziraphale_on_trial_fanfic_cover/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app

Gabriel sat down in an open board room somewhere between the Heavenly kingdom and the abode of God. As the Angel of Revelation, Gabriel had threaded a fine line with Prophets and God's Children on Earth and has disclosed to many humans. Technically, he's the Angel of plot development. Gabriel was there to tell Zacharias that his wife, Elizabeth, was going to have John the Baptist and has infamously told Mary she was to have Jesus Christ.

So it wasn't that surprising when God called upon Gabriel and said onto him "Something something... _destroy the children of the watchers amongst men: send them one against the other that they might destroy each other in battle: for the length of days shall they not have_... Something.". Naturally, the Archangel considered this as a prophecy for all conflict. That the Adversary and the Champion of Heaven on Earth would expire in turmoil or uses human rivals to fight each other. Whatever. As far as revelations go, it wasn't something he hadn't heard before so it wasn't in his department. Sure, Gabriel had done some war in his career. He was supposed to bring Jerusalem to its knees and become the Angel of Isreal but that wasn't really destroying the children of the watchers, was it? Gabriel considered this as something that Aziraphale should do. It was Aziraphale who did all the unnatural things with humans, like eat and dress up, so Gabriel thought it was the other angel's job to do whatever God's words meant. 

Here, Gabriel was sitting in the Heavenly board room, holy water in one hand and the other clenched into a tight fist as he deliberated how he was going to tell Aziraphale what God had told him. He took a sip from his water and shrugged. 

"Aziraphale, bro, alright, I brought you in here today because God has revealed something to me." He looked across the table to the fluffy angel and narrowed his eyes, "Micheal and I don't know what to make of it so, we thought, maybe we need a fresh set of eyes on the problem. Maybe a new perspective will help us figure it out." Gabriel pointed at Aziraphale and realized he might have to bullshit his way through this if he was going to sound even slightly interesting. "That's where you come in."

"Okay." Aziraphale nodded. Confusion lit his face like a fire attached itself to alcohol. "What did she say?"

"That's the thing." Gabriel loosened his shoulders. "She said ' _Destroy the children of the watchers amongst men, make them fight, their days are numbered'._ You see the bit of a twister it is? As far as everyone in the great big office in the sky knows, humans have been at odds for millennia and you have defeated the advances of the Adversary, right?" Aziraphale began to visibly sweat. Beads of moisture appeared on his forehead and dampened his shirt's collar.

"Yep. I and the demon Crowley have been-," Aziraphale gulped audibly, "-have been at odds for thousands of years."

"Right? Ya'll've got this down pat. So, who do you think the watchers are?" Gabriel plastered a fake smile onto his face like they both didn't know what he was getting at.

"I and the Adversary."

"Yep..." The Archangel twirled a hand dramatically, "So I have to ask, who do you think the children of the watchers are?" The two angels eyes met in the center of the table. Aziraphale failed to respond and Gabriel was forced to continue. "Micheal and I think that the 'children of the watchers' are some sort of symbolic term. Like how everyone is God's child while we all know that there kind of not. So, what do you think your child is?"

"I, I don't know. Maybe the evil seeded between us is our child and we need to relinquish it in order to form peace on Earth?" Aziraphale cocked his face, showing a flat frown that suddenly escaped him. 

"Are you dense, Aziraphale?" Gabriel shot at him. "Can you seriously be that dense? Drop the whole peace on Earth thing for two minutes and listen to yourself. Why would God be concerned with you and the Adversary if she wanted to make peace? You're enemies, for crying out loud." Sandalaphon stepped into the room and Gabriel lowered his voice. Not because he wanted to appear better before the Choirmaster, but because he was ready to start the revelations."We think you're hiding something, Aziraphale. We need you to disclose everything you've done on Earth with the Adversary. We need to take your 'children' and put them into battle. It's God's plan."

"I haven't the slightest idea." Said Aziraphale sternly. Sandalaphon raised his hand and Gabriel nodded at him. He couldn't wait to hear what this box of rocks had to say about this. 

"I think you've had a child with him." Both Aziraphale and Gabriel looked at him in sheer terror. "Maybe God was being literal."

" **NO** , Sandalaphon, I don't think our buddy has had children with the demon Crowley. That's absurd." Gabriel knew God could be literal at times but the thought of something as pure as an Angel being in love with something as sinister as a Demon made his skin crawl. He hated what Sandalaphon was implying too. The sex part. That was a sin. Gabriel remembered fooling around but only the brass tacks of contact. All Angels have to follow the code of absence even though God can go around impregnating whoever she saw fit. The Archangel didn't even want to think about how two celestial beings could do it, either. That was never something he had wanted to know. "We do need to know, Aziraphale, so thoughts like this won't occur. We need you to tell us everything. Could there be something that you're not telling us?"

"As I said, I haven't the slightest idea. Now, if you excuse me, gentlemen, I'd like to leave." Aziraphale got up from his chair at the table and strode towards the door, stopping inches from the frame as he looked back at his excuser with annoyance. "I don't have children with the Demon Crowley and I am sure as Heaven not lying to you when I say there is nothing between us. I'd put my hand on the Bible and swear it." His wings unfurled at the end and Gabriel unfurled his own in response. Holy brilliance rivaled holy brilliance and the room was cloaked in a heavenly aura. They stared at each other for a second before Gabriel cooled down and visibly wiped the frown off his own face. 

"Alright." Sandalaphon slipped a Bible out of his suit pocket and placed it onto the surface in front of him. Gabriel was about to ask why Sandalaphon would have such a worldly possession when Aziraphale slammed his hand on it and began to chant:

" _I swear by Almighty God, to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth._ "

Suddenly holy light spilled out of the text and the Angel looked up at Gabriel with fear in his eyes. The truth started to come out of Aziraphale like water out of a well. "I'm madly in love." He crowed. Everyone was in shock. "I never liked the Sound of Music. I secretly adore your outfit, Gabriel. I followed this guy around in a mall cause I thought he was Crowley and when I found out it wasn't him I cried for an hour in a Cinnabon. I'm a gardener in Tadfield." Aziraphale forced his mouth shut.

Gabriel was very intrigued by the revelations. Then the book beamed a couple of last columns of lights and stopped. Aziraphale's face went flush with relief and his wing went invisible once again. Gabriel held his feathers out prominently and took a quick sip of water before examining the angel's words further. So he was madly in love, but the _who_ was the big kicker. 

"Who, exactly, are you 'madly' in love with, bro?" 

"I've spilled my truths. If you don't mind, I'd like to go now." Embarrassed, the Angel walked back to the door and without Gabriel's conformation, left. Sandalaphon looked at the Archangel and back at the book. 

"That went down like a lead balloon. That left us with more questions than answers. Who do you think he is in love with? Do you think that's symbolic too?" An awkward silence fell over them. Maybe Aziraphale wasn't the only dense angel to exist after all. Gabriel thought about it for a moment. Angels could love something or someone despite the rule of absence. It was in there construction to love all of God's creations though they could personally dislike or like things. For example, Gabriel loved the Sound of Music and would play it every Easter in the Heavenly break room and he also disliked Aziraphale for his opinions. He'd show Aziraphale. He'd play it every day to punish the Angel for whatever tomfoolery he was up to this time. 

"I don't know, Sandalaphon. Maybe we just got to listen in and see." Gabriel was already hating himself for not taking advantage of the situation. He hated himself for being such a dunce under pressure and the anger coursing through his veins was gonna make him explode. The Archangel took his cup and threw it across the table. Maybe mildly explode was a better way to put it. The pair looked onto the cup with great dissatisfaction.

"Sir, are you alright?"

"No. I'm an Archangel. I am the one in charge. Aziraphale makes me want to damn him every time we meet. I feel futile and, dear lord, my wraith is getting to me." 

"Would you like me to pray with you, sir?" Sandalaphon placed a hand on his shoulder. Gabriel nodded sheepishly and they both gathered in prayer. "Oh lord, I beg and implore in the name of Jesus that for this moment and for always that you cure Gabriel of his jealousy towards the angel Aziraphale and that he can steep his wraith -"

"I never said I was jealous of Aziraphale. Take that back. I don't want Metatron or Micheal hearing that." Sandalaphon rolled his eyes and continued.

"- Though your son is of a golden heart and solid mind he is lost in his ' _anger'_ and needs your solace, my lord. I pray that you relinquish Gabriel of earthly rage so we can clean up the mess he has made on the table and so that I can go back to my harp solo, yada yada, amen." The choirmaster took his hand from Gabriel, grabbed his Bible, and exited the room. Gabriel sighed and got a bunch of heavenly paper towels from the holy break room so he could get started on the cleaning. He wasn't Jealous. Why would Sandalaphon paint him to be jealous? The prayer didn't seem to eliminate his wraith cause his wings tossed in the air and felt like he was going to scream. Never in a million years would Gabriel ever consider being jealous of another Angel for loving something. On the other hand, it was great to finally get that into the open air. If six thousand years of holy rage led to only a water bottle getting tossed across the room then that was peaches and cream.

"We just got to listen and see." The Archangel repeated to himself.


	2. Hell hound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel has to do another revelation and he develops anger management issues. Sandalaphon is useless and Aziraphale is concerned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think Gabriel beats himself up just as much as he beats up everyone else around him. Typical bully boy

The Hellhound had been released and it was Gabriel's job, once again, to go to Earth and tell someone. This time it was Aziraphale. The Archangel was dreading seeing the angel after their little argument and the thought of his stupid fluffy hair sickened Gabriel. He considered just having Sandalaphon go but Micheal wouldn't have it, so here the pair were, outside the A.Z. Fell book store. Everything was made even worse by the fact it was lightly raining. Gabriel wondered how many holy paper towels it would take to dry his suit. Sandalaphon just stood by his side, admiring their reflections in the store's windows.

" _Judge me not on what you see, yet by what I do_ ," Sandalaphon mumbled to Gabriel. He would rue this day for sure if Sandalaphon kept quoting himself. 

"You were a lot quieter as the Prophet Elijah," Gabriel replied.

"That's the spirit. Judging people based on their characteristics and not their appearance. Very reputable. Very good." Sandalaphon cocked an eyebrow and whipped some of the moisture off his head and onto his suit. Gabriel thought he only had it out for one particular angel, but today, he thought there might be two. "Another characteristic you can judge is: 'why are we standing here when we could be inside, getting this over with?'" 

"I'm gaining my composer." Gabriel closed his eyes and held his hands together, close to his heart. 

"I'm a composer."The choirmaster dripped with sarcasm.

"No, Sandalaphon." The Archangel tried to be patient, " Micheal heard our prayer and now I got to do breathing exercises to calm down. Just give me ten would you?" Gabriel began mentally counting numbers in his head to the rhyme of his breathing. Sandalaphon respected him and stood in silence as the Archangel took his time. **One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten**. Gabriel didn't feel any less animosity towards Sandalaphon or Aziraphale but he wanted to appear happy so he stood up straight and gave the choirmaster a sad smile. "You see, all better now." Throwing his hands out in an attempt to emphasis his accomplishment. 

"Great. Can we go in now?" Sandalphon echoed back a smile and Gabriel gave him a little nod in return. The choirmaster opened the door for him and the Archangel stepped inside. For such a gloomy day, there was a lot of customers inside the bookshop. For a moment, Gabriel considered making a miracle to get rid of all the occupants but as he stared at the Angel, he decided he would make this as painful as possible. He eased up to Aziraphale's desk, placing his hand on top of the surface to draw his attention. The Angel was talking to another customer about _The Picture of Dorian Gray_ and didn't stray to look at him. Gabriel let out a cough and Aziraphale whipped his head in the direction of the noise. His eyes went wide and he dismissed the customer.

"Gabriel?"

"Yep, the big cheese. I'm here."

"Yeah... why?" Aziraphale pointed towards the pair and Sandalaphon wouldn't stop grinning. "I mean, it's great to see you and all." 

"How're the kids?" Sandalaphon sneered. Gabriel scowled and Aziraphale shrugged in disappointment. 

"I still don't have children with the Demon Crowley. Is that why you came down here? Just to tease me?" Gabriel buried his face in his hands.

" _No_. No, we're not here to make fun of you Aziraphale. We got important news concerning Armeggadon. The Hell hound has found the Antichrist...But-" He leaned on the balls of his feet, "- if you did figure out what your 'children' are that would be very important. Before we're all in Holy war, of course." Just tell me already so I can smite your children, Gabriel thought. He might be calm but he was still driven by hate.

"I don't know about that. I still think it's symbolic for Heaven and Hell's hatred for one another. It true that that hatred must be destroyed. The world depends on it." Aziraphale stated and Gabriel scowled once again.

"Aziraphale, bro, buddy, pal, the Holy war is coming. The Hell hound is in its place. Stop looking at this like it's reversible. Jesus, what did I say about this thinking?" Sandalaphon pulled on Gabriel sleeve and gestured for him to lower his wraith. Gabriel took another deep breath and counted to three. Aziraphale looked at him, confused. Gabriel stopped and explained, "Micheal told me to do some breathing exercises." The angel nodded. "Supposedly makes you calm." 

"I see." Was all Aziraphale said as he picked up his book and went to put it on a shelve. Gabriel and Sandalaphon were left there till he returned. The Archangel cursed under his breath. There he was again, showing weakness. What a tool, Gabriel thought. He felt like he was not living up to his God-given title. He tried to remember himself as the little winged freak that made the stars with Raphael that he use to be but all he saw was a hot mess. Aziraphale came back with a teacup and saucer and sat down at his desk. "So, the Hell hound is out?"

"Yes. Heaven needs you to ensure that Hell doesn't try anything funny in the following days. Until the war is declared, then we all take up swords and fight. As God planned it to be."

"Do you think Angels and Demons are the children of the watchers and that fighting one another is ineffable?" Sandalapon intervened, quizzically examining all the pens on Aziraphale's desk. He picked them up one by one and clicked the pens till he had made his way through them all. Aziraphale was caught in the question. On the other hand, Gabriel thought all these questions would make him barf. He was cursed. Working with so many idiots could only be called that. He shot Sandalaphon a harsh look and he put down the pens. "Nevermind."

"We don't have to fight. We have to do something. Don't you want Heaven to rein?"

"I want it to stop raining so I can go back home."

"So, you don't care?" Said Aziraphale.

"No, I care. It's just that we can't intervene in God's plans. It's fated that we do and so we must do it. No exceptions." Gabriel stated flatly. He was done fighting with Aziraphale. The Archangel collected his companion in his arms and started for the door till something ticked his radar. Evil. The purest form of Evil. An unadulterated, demonic aura came out of the streets and hit him like a freight train. Gabriel stopped in his tracks. Why would something so evil be around here? Maybe he just needed to calm down. Gabriel started counting and Sandalaphon escaped his grasp to look outside. "Something evil is afoot."

"Something evil?" Aziraphale repeated in shock. He was getting visibly antsy and Gabriel couldn't figure out why.

"All I see is a bunch of cars, sir, no Demons insight." Sandalaphon shot from the doorframe. Gabriel approached him and combed through the vehicles. He never kept up with human innovations but everything appeared to look fine. Besides one funny looking car that looked more elaborate than the others, but Gabriel dismissed it as human vanity. 

"See you later, Aziraphale. Stay safe. There seems to be trouble everywhere."

"Right...Toodles."

"Toodles," Sandalaphon said before stepping onto the sidewalk. Gabriel followed him out without saying goodbye to the angel. This was fishy. This area was supposedly Aziraphale's domain. It should be one of the holiest epicenters this side of the Atlantic. Fishy. He always had the inkling that something wasn't right with Aziraphale but never considered that thing to be demonic. Gabriel shoved Sandalaphon into an alley and they waited for anything suspicious to occur. After ten minutes of watching, Aziraphale peered out the window and made several gestures to someone the Archangel couldn't see. Then the elaborate car back out of its parking spot and drove down the road. Immediately, the evil escaped into the atmosphere and everything appeared normal. Gabriel clutched Sandalaphon's sleeve.

"You think -"

"- That elaborate car is something else, right?" Sandalaphon finished. 

"No. You think that was the Demon Crowley?" Gabriel corrected him. 

"Couldn't tell. Never seen him."

"Me neither... Let's just hope that was someone else. Did you see Aziraphale in the window? What do you think that was all about?"

"I didn't see anything, I'm too short to see over your shoulders." Gabriel warped them back to Heaven and let go of Sandalaphon. "Besides, if it was the Demon Crowley then I suppose whatever Aziraphale was doing was to strike him down, hmm? They're adversaries after all. Despite what we say, I think that they're always going to have it out for each other. Kind of their nature."

"I suppose." Gabriel retorted, but he didn't believe a word he said. The angel was playing a dangerous game. He had to be. However, the world was ending, and Gabriel considered that what mess Aziraphale made with the Demon would go down with it. The holy war would purge them, he thought. If only the Holy war was sooner. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank's Ya'll for your support! Didn't think when I started this fic that I would continue it but the overwhelmingly good feedback on the first chapter changed my mind and I can't thank you guys enough. I'm starting to like this and will be going down with it.


	3. Vacation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of reckoning comes, Gabriel prepares for war and reminisces better times.

Gabriel held Raphael's horn in his hands. His anger for Aziraphale and all the trouble that came with the end of the world had been weighing on him. He was nostalgic for better times. He missed Raphael. When they created the stars, it was probably the most exciting time of his existence. Thinking about him made him feel better. He couldn't explain it. Maybe this was how Aziraphale felt. Gabriel didn't want to sympathize with that angelic prick but he couldn't help it; Love makes you do crazy things. 

God had given all of Heaven a well-worth day off on the day of reckoning. The calm before the storm, Micheal had called it. Gabriel didn't want to take the vacation. Ever since Raphael fell, it was assumed that Gabriel would become the mouth of God and the entitlement that came with the position made him bitter for breaks. Sloth was a sin after all, and though Gabriel had more than indulged himself in sin sometimes (though he'd never admit it), Gabriel didn't like taking breaks. He never wanted to let down the walls he spent six thousand years building just to let them fall during the Armageddon. Gabriel secretly wondered if he'd see Raphael during the Holy war. Maybe he could save him from Hell clutches. Maybe he could see him one last time. As he twirled the horn between his fingers, he remembered Raphael's long auburn hair, how beautiful he looked in stardust, how his face went rose when he complimented him. Gabriel wanted to tell him how beautiful he was, one last time. He never had the chance to say it before the fall, and now he had to replace him, but how could he replace someone so important to him? A tear ran down his face and he wiped it away on his sleeve.

This was supposed to be the last good day for a while, but Gabriel couldn't relish it. Micheal warped next to him and Gabriel was a little more than spooked. The leader of the Holy army was clad in heavenly armor and held her spear tight in one hand and in the other a newspaper. Micheal was always on her toes, being the supreme commander of the heavenly host and all. She had confessed to him that she was a rather anxious person, never taking a rest to smite evil. Micheal had been the one to cast Satan down to earth with the rest of the fallen Angels, including Raphael. Gabriel could respect that, but he had never forgiven her, and as she sat next to him and read, he couldn't help but hate her too. 

"Hello, Micheal."

"Hi, Gabriel. What are you doing all the way out here? You're very far from the gates. I haven't seen you out this far ever since you were on level duty. Perdisimo, right?" Micheal put her spear between them and opened up the paper. Gabriel could sense the paper wasn't of heaven but of Earth. She looked at his hands and cringed, "What are you doing with Raphael's horn?"

"I'm going to shove it up my _ass_."

" _..._ " Micheal gave him a harsh look. Gabriel considered counting again but decided against it.

"Okay." The Archangel sighed." I'm praying for him. I remembered him a while back and thought I should honor his memory. All the good he did before-," Gabriel sobbed,"-before he fell."

" **Oh.** " Micheal doughed up, folded the paper and rested a hand on his lap, " **Oh** , Gabriel. I'm so sorry. I wouldn't have come out here if I knew you were mourning. I'm probably the last being you want to see right now, I should leave."

"You don't have to." Gabriel placed a hand on hers. "Probably shouldn't be out this far alone anyway."

"Yeah," Micheal said, unconvinced, "I know how that affected you, Gabriel, I can be sorry but I can't take back what was God's Plan." Gabriel considered that for a moment. Kind of sounded like something he would say to Aziraphale. He felt sorrow fill his soul and let out another sob. The supreme commander clasped her hands around his and gave him a squeeze. "What happened is cemented. No matter how much we pray or wish to reverse it, we can't stop what is fated."

"That doesn't really make me feel any less uncomfortable with it."

"You don't need to be comfortable with it, but you need to accept it as it is. Done." Micheal released her hands and returned to her paper. "You see this?" She held the newspaper up to Gabriel's sad form, "This is called the ' _Time_ s', it supposedly holds the most important thing that happened the month it was published. This particular copy is the latest. Dec 18, 2000. You see this?"

"I see it. What about it?" Gabriel picked the paper from her hands and examined it. It showed the print of some extravagant piece of paper with the words ' _yes, we'll survive_ '. "Yes, we'll survive?"

"Yes. I think it's a sign from God."

"How can you be so sure? It could be just Aziraphale or the Demon Crowley's work. I'd hate it if you'd showed me something demonic to cheer me up."

"Nah, I feel ya, but this, this is a sign from God. I was down in America protecting churches, as I do, and I got handed this." She pointed towards the lettering, "'Yes, we'll survive', don't you think that's just hopeful? Answered all my worries about the Holy war. That's all that's not decided, that is something we can change."

"Sure." Gabriel handed the newspaper back to Micheal and she folded it up under her arm. They sat there in silence for a while until Micheal picked up her spear and got up, extending a hand to the fellow Archangel. 

"Come back to the gate with me. People will talk about you if you don't come back. Sandalaphon was already talking about your jealousy for Aziraphale. He thinks you have a soft spot for him cause he loves someone." Micheal gave him a wink and Gabriel groaned.

"I am not jealous of Aziraphale. Sandalaphon said that. I never did. Bet he's jealous cause he's never loved anything but some dumb people." Gabriel took her hand and she lifted him up. He forgot he was still holding Raphael's horn and it slipped from his grasp."Oops." Stumbling, he got the horn back into his hands and put it into his suit pocket. "I'm not jealous."

"Do you see yourself in him?" They walked side by side back to the Pearly Gates. Gabriel snorted and his face put on a real smile.

"No." He lied to himself. Gabriel felt like that was a load of crap but something in the back of his mind was trying to convince him overwise. 

"Honestly, I discussed your problem with Uriel and we both agree that envy is a deadly sin. So, you might want to fess up to liking him even just a little bit, or I might have to smite you" Micheal playfully jabbed her spear into his side. Gabriel pretended that it hurt a lot less than it did and let out a chuckle. 

"Is it that obvious? Just drop it, I'll repent in holy bloodshed tomorrow anyway. Repent and kill some demons. Two birds one stone." Gabriel felt relieved. All this anger was probably for nothing. He and Aziraphale were both in the same boat. Both preparing for the Holy war, both Angels, both children of God, and they both loved someone. Micheal had changed his mind about the champion of Heaven on earth. Maybe he was just another one of them. Maybe, after all of the carnage that came with battling Hell, they could watch a movie they both liked. If he didn't prefer _The Sound of Music,_ perhaps they could see something else. Gabriel was done torturing him just because he wanted to be himself. 

Once again, Gabriel was reminded of Raphael.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Times magazine for 2000:  
> (micheal's is at the end)  
> https://time.com/vault/year/2000/


	4. Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel finally sees Crowley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've tricked you. You might have liked Gabriel and now he's gonna explode. What you gonna do about it? Sad boy times ahead. I warned ya.
> 
> Also, this is heavily inspired by episode 6 so there's a lot of that in here as well.

Something was happening. Something was wrong. Gabriel stood on an airstrip in Tadfield. The antichrist wasn't cooperating with the divine plan. The whole situation had gone sideways and it was Gabriel's duty, as always, to send a revelation. 

He was prepared to tell the kid to fuck off. 

However, when he got there, alongside the Demon Lord Beezelbub, and got a good look at the scene, Gabriel realized that he was way out of his depth. Where were the four horsemen? There was the Antichrist. There was an old lady, old man, young man, young lady, and a whole group of kids. Gabriel made the point after Jesus never to talk to kids. There was also Aziraphale, which wasn't a surprise. Maybe he wanted to get his rocks off first, Gabriel didn't care. Then there was him. This man with gorgeous auburn hair, glowing skin, and a familiar smile. The Archangel was at a lost for words. Raphael didn't quiet look exactly like he did when he fell. His hair was longer back then and he didn't wear as much black but Gabriel knew straight away that it was him. He wasn't mistaken. However, as he approached him, beyond disbelief, he found that he felt the same dark aura that was outside Aziraphale's book shop. 

"Raphael?" Gabriel whispered underneath his breath. Apparently, no one heard him and since he was trying to keep pace with Beezelbub, he didn't have time to stop and chat. Instead, he made his way in front of everyone on the scene.

"Lord Beelzebub." Raphael greeted the Demon Lord. Why would he be greeting the demon lord? He was a fallen angel, not her servant. Gabriel believed that Raphael just vaguely sauntered downwards, not fucking thrown himself into hellfire. There was no reason in his mind why Raphael would do this. "What an honor-"

"-Crowley the traitor." Was all the Demon had to say to him.

Oh?

**OH.**

"That's not a nice word."

"All other words I have for you are worse. **WHERE'S THE BOY.** " Gabriel was a bumbling mess. He couldn't speak. Raphael/Crowley gestured towards one of the kids, notably the child with the dumb fluffy hair, and gazed at Gabriel. The Archangel wanted more than anything to say something to him. _What happened? Why are you a Demon now?_ A whole list of suggestions came to mind but he didn't feel like it was appropriate, so he just turned to the Antichrist and plastered on one of the fakest smiles he had ever made.

"That one." He pointed to the child. Gabriel felt numb. This couldn't be happening. It was too fast. He tried to push everything that was worth something to him to the side while he focused onto the Antichrist. "Adam Young." He took a deep breath trying to gain some of that calmness he so desperately needed, "Hi." This was going to be a struggle. "Armageddon must...restart. Right now." There was a long silence between them as Adam Young sized him up. The kid might have been little but he was no less intimidating than his father. "A tempory inconvenience cannot get in the way of the greater good." Beelzebub breathed deeply and finished off his point. 

"As to what it stands in the way of, that has yet to be decided. But, the battle must be decided now, boy." Gabriel could get behind the anger in her tone. Wraith could make them a great pair. "That is... your destiny. It is written. Now start the war." Beelzebub stared daggers into Adam Young and Adam Young stared daggers back at her. There was no way they could get into his little pee-wee head without some more conjecturing. Gabriel was going to have a blast taking out all of his hidden frustrations out on this little scum bag.

"You both want to end the world just to see whose gang is best?" The son of Satan shot at them in disbelief. Gabriel was ready to grind gears.

"Obviously."He responded, chuckling a little. "It's the Great plan. It's the entire reason for the creation of Earth." Everything that everyone had ever told Gabriel, everything that he thought God had ever told him was coming to the forefront of his mind. _They must fight. Their days are numbered._ It was all true and here this little shit was trying to psychoanalysis the whole of everything under God's hot sun. Raphael didn't fall for this. Gabriel didn't lose everything that he ever loved just so this child could dismiss him. He didn't get that right. Gabriel wanted to believe that everything that happened, happened because it was fated. There was no other way, no secret ending to the plot. He was the Angel of revelations and never expected that his truths be turned down so effortlessly. But as he continued to bask in the demonic aura of Raphael or Crowley, he didn't seem to understand.

Thankfully Beezelbub swooped in again before he completely broke down. 

"I've got this," She said, shoving the Archangel to the side, letting him breathe a little. Gabriel straightened out and looked around him for more confirmation to what was happening. He tried not to look at Crowley but he failed and noticed him standing next to Aziraphale, black against white. Two polar opposites but somehow connected. Gabriel got a brief lecture by Uriel before he came down to Earth that Aziraphale had sided with the Demon Crowley to stop Armageddon. At first, all the puzzle pieces seemed to fit. He and Crowley were in love and together they planned to stop the ineffable plan. But, as he looked upon the being of hate who was once _his_ angel and the angel who he hated, Gabriel's puzzle broke and so did he. The plastic smile he threw up meer seconds ago swallowed itself back into him and he has left the husk of the man he once was. Gabriel heard Adam young going off again and broke his silence.

"Well, you can't just refuse to be who you are. Your birth, your destiny, they're part of the Great Plan." He was grasping at straws but he was proud that he wasn't crying. Then Aziraphale stepped in unannounced.

"Ahem." The angel coughed into his hand and stepped behind the Antichrist. "Excuse me, you keep talking about the Great Plan-."

"-Aziraphale, maybe you should just keep your mouth shut-". Aziraphale was the last person he wanted to hear. 

"- One thing I'm not clear on." Aziraphale almost barred his teeth at him, "Is that the Ineffable plan?"

" **THE GREAT PLAN. IT IS WRITTEN. THERE SHALL BE A WORLD, AND IT SHALL LAST FOR 6,000 YEARS AND END IN FIRE AND FLAME**." Beelzebub exploded. 

"Yes, yes, that sounds like the Great Plan. Just wondering, is that the _Ineffable Plan_ as well?" He gave both of the higher beings a dumb smirk and Gabriel could swear his constitution collapsed right there on the asphalt. Everyone looked around at each other for a moment. Gabriel considered it.

"Well, they're the same thing." Gabriel, once again in his existence, lied to himself. 

"You don't know," whispered Crowley as the realization dawned on him. _No_ , Raphael, Gabriel wanted to scream. All this is fated. Heaven and Hell were fated to do this. You were Fated to Fall. I was fated to love you. And now... what would happen? If none of that was cemented in time itself then why did it happen? Why did it all happen? " Well, it'd be a pity if you'd thought you were doing what the Great Plan said. But you were actually going directly against God's ineffable plan." Crowley stood next to Aziraphale and gave him a warm look.

Gabriel blinked for like two minutes. Still wasn't comfortable with that.

"I mean everyone knows the Great Plan, Yeah? But the Ineffable Plan...is-well, it's ineffable, isn't it? By definition, we can't know it." Crowley continued, eyes lingering over to Gabriel. That slimy serpent. Micheal was right to have banished him. He loved him so much and yet here he was proving that all that love, all that sorrow, was meaningless. Gabriel thought maybe Crowley didn't even feel turmoil with his past life as Raphael. He promised himself that he wouldn't let the walls down but they were gone. Beelzebub said something menacing and the Archangel felt her malice but couldn't stop the overwhelming feeling of sadness coursing through him. Maybe Raphael was better off dead.

As Crowley and Aziraphale stood before them proudly he got hit with the biggest revelation he'd ever come to know. They were together. He was alone. Raphael did what he did cause he believed in it, he loved it, and now as he was cast aside for the second time, he still did what he wanted out of love. His Raphael loved the Earth. His Raphael loved the people. His Rapheal loved Aziraphale, but he didn't love Gabriel. All that was left of the Raphael that once had liked Gabriel existed solely in the horn in his suit pocket. 

"God does not play games with the Universe." Was all he could use as a comeback, but he was a hot mess and words were coming difficultly. 

"Where have you been?" Crowley answered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> poor Gabriel


	5. Mourning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the apocalypse-that-was-not, Gabriel is being cryptic and Micheal being a good friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More sad boi hours and some cool biblical shit. It's what I do. Also Micheal POV for this chapter

Micheal sat next to the holy water cooler in the Heavenly break room in the sky trying to get as many occult paper-cups as she could hold, transferring the smaller cups into a much larger and seemingly infinitely fillable pitcher. However, Micheal realized halfway through that if she was to prepare for the Crowley's trial in time, she would have to use something a bit quicker, so she deposited the dirtied cups into the heavenly trash can and exited the office to find a holy hose or something.

Outside, angels gathered around piles of military gear, taking off their armor and laying down there spears. No one exactly knew what happened. It seemed like any other day besides everyone discarding the copious amounts of weaponry. Micheal hadn't the slightest clue why it seemed like everyone was going to war but was relieved that, at least, there would be no fighting today. On the other hand, the Supreme commander wondered if she should be worried about it. Bunch of beings wandering around confused never sat idle with Micheal and her anxiousness wouldn't rest till everyone was content. However, as she walked around the abode of God, she noticed that she hadn't seen Gabriel in a while, and in a sudden burst of anxiety, decided to warp to him. Micheal snapped her fingers and was teleported far beyond the Pearly Gates. Farther than before.

"Gabriel?" Micheal looked around the clouds and saw nothing that caught her eyes. She knew better than to sneak up on him after what she did."Gabriel, dear, are you out here?" There came a sigh from beyond her and a something stood up."Gabriel, I haven't seen you in a while I came to check up before I go."

"Do you remember anything?"

"Remeber what? I have to set up for the Trial. I just wanted to check in on you before I went. Awfully dark out this far, are you still mourning?"

"Yes, Micheal, I'm still gonna shove this horn up my ass. And if you don't leave, I'm gonna shove it so far up yours that you'll be preening for months." Gabriel barked from where ever he was. That was rude. Micheal could stand for Gabriel being sarcastic or maybe even mean but couldn't stand him being disrespectful to anyone. Especial to her. 

"Listen here. There is no need for that language, Gabriel. I've permitted you to despise but you can't go around unchecked. I came out all this way because I care, and now you gonna spit at me, solid."

"Sorry." Gabriel emerged from the wispy clouds and faced Micheal. "I feel like I'm missing something. I was ready to beam down to Earth for - _something_ \- and then I was on vacation again. It's eating at me that I don't know why." Micheal didn't know what Gabriel was talking about, so she tried to steer him in another direction. 

"Oh, dear, we all forget things, maybe your ages is finally catching up to ya? Who knows what 6,000 years will do to an Angel? We could grow some more eyes for all we know."

"Okay, but that's just the thing." Gabriel twirled his hands like he was trying reel in a thought."I remember being told about the traitors Aziraphale and Crowley but I don't recall anything after that. My mind is disgruntled. I keep on hearing people in my head say stuff about the Apocalypse and for some odd reason, Crowley's voice. I'm a mess, Micheal." He extended Raphael's horn towards Micheal and she examined the green etchings on its side. It was Uriel and Raphael's handwriting, spelling all the demons they'd vanquished. One particular word was ' _Adrammelech_ '.

"I feel like Adrammelch "

"That beast? Raphael and Uriel put that demon down ages ago. Is this one of those symbolic things that Sandalaphon keeps telling me?"

"Yeah, they say that Adrammelech was the enemy of God. Greater in ambition, guile, and mischief than Satan. A fiend more curst; the deepest hypocrite. I feel like the deepest hypocrite, right now, and I very much sense that I look like that Peacock freak. "

"If you keep talking like that I'm gonna banish you, Gabriel, you're scaring me." Micheal withdrew herself and Gabriel tried to comfort her. 

"Sorry, again, my mind is in the wrong place, forgive me, Micheal. But, I can't get it off my mind." Gabriel put the horn back into his suit pocket. "I feel deep sympathy for everyone. For you, for Aziraphale, even for Raphael. But this wraith inside me won't forgive them." Gabriel turned on his heels to look into the misty dark clouds. Micheal narrowed her eyes and held the pitcher of water steadfast in her grasp. 

"What are you implying, Gabriel?" said Micheal, uneasy. The Archangel in front of her stilled and wrapped his hands around himself like he was cold, but his wings unfurled at his touch, almost knocking Micheal down. Gabriel lifted off the ground ever so lightly and swiveled to look down at the Holy Commander. 

"I can't explain the pain, but I feel like I need to learn what it all means. The reason we're all here. Why it happened. But a part of me that's not existential, wants to leave it and destroy something out of wraith." 

"Don't destroy me," Micheal mumbled.

"I don't want to." Gabriel gave her a sad smile. His wings flapped and a chilly breeze fell over them. It was silent for a few seconds before Gabriel dropped his sadness and tried to focus on something else. "When do you think we'll get to put Aziraphale on trial?"

"Soon. I got some of the Holy water for Crowley's trial right here. Was just looking for a heavenly hose or a blessed fountain before I thought to look for you. We should go back. This far out gives me the creeps. Can't stand being all this way past the gates."

"Raphael and I would come out here and look at the stars beyond the cloud barrier," Gabriel whispered under his breath. The pair was silent again. Micheal hated to see such sorrow and she spread her wings to level with Gabriel. The Heavenly commander placed a hand on his shoulder. The archangel looked at her. "Tell me love endless. Tell me that when I see him again, he'll at least remember me. Please? I all I want is to say one last thing to him."

"Sorry, there's no way to stop what has happened, but maybe, just maybe God's ineffable plan has something for you." Gabriel's eyes glistened with tears. Micheal caught a few that ran down his face with her free hand. "Would you like me to pray with you?"

"I will survive. I should just accept what God hands me. If God wants me to see him again, then she will let me. I'm done begging and being angry at Rapheal and ]at you and Aziraphale."

"Right, the end is near." Micheal removed her hand and let it fall to her side. For some reason, she couldn't help but think that in betraying heaven and hell, Crowley and Aziraphale bridged a connection between the two that she hadn't seen before. Now, the two sides were working together against a common enemy. They could both see light in the future after the traitors were dealt with, of course. Maybe with this newly found friendship, Gabriel could see Raphael once again. She'd be lying if she didn't want to best for him. "Come on, I need to go and you need to prepare for Aziraphale." Gabriel looked at her and submitted himself to be dragged back to the pearly gates. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank ya'll again. This is my highest hit and I glad you guy like it as much as I do. Any comments you might have are appreciated


	6. Before the Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a little bit of Gabriel and Raphael before the fall. Some violence, Some fluff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is noncanonical in the timeline that I'm doing, but I really wanted some Gabriel/Raphael fluff. Will resume canon in the next chapter.

"Please, it's nothing." Raphael pointed towards a small blue spark in the sky, "It's Pluto. It's gray and boring, I mean, I gave it somewhat of a red spot, but I always do that." He removed his gaze from the star and gave Gabriel a wink. Gabriel was on level duty again, guarding the sphere of divinity against demons in the dark of space. Raphael was nice enough to show up after completing a few planets and was fragrantly showing off his new creations. The angel wasn't a stranger to the other angel's humble-brags, but when half of the planets in the solar system had Raphael's signature on them, it made him jealous. 

"You ruined Jupiter. That was mine until you and your beautiful hair corrupted it." Gabriel put 'corrupt' in air quotes. Raphael blushed and pushed him playfully. 

"Corrupted it? You made the biggest, gaseous thing around; I don't think a little red dot makes it trash." That was true. It did look better with a little aesthetic appeal, but when people only talked about Jupiter because it had that, it took all of the credit from Gabriel and gave it to the ladder. However, the angel would let it slide like always. He could never feel hate towards Raphael. He was like everyone else, even if his red hair and his rose face made his heart do unexplainable things in his chest. Raphael would always get away with mischievous things. He convinced half of Heaven they needed to blow horns to announce God's presence and now he was the official trumpet player in the heavenly orchestra, despite God's annoyance towards him. It was quirky and Gabriel loved it. 

"So why call it Pluto?"

"Just a little imagination. Hope it catches on, Heaven could use some better names. I hate it that all the angels have that ending to them. I wish I could change my name." Raphael replied. He sat down on the cloud and patted the surface next to him for Gabriel to sit. The angel obliged and leaned into the other. Raphael snaked a hand around his shoulders and let Gabriel sink into the crook of his neck. 

"But, God gave you that name, shouldn't you be content with it?"

"I _should_ but I _ain't_. I would prefer something with a little bit of a snap in it. You know, something that comes easy, but nothing stupid, like 'Job' or 'Psalm'. Something sexy." Gabriel gasped a little at that.

"Lust is a sin, Raphael. You should stick to your name, anyway. I like it." Raphael groaned in frustration. 

"Yeah, thanks, but your boring and you like boring things, like angels. That's where we separate. You see that out there, those nebulas and star clusters, I love those, and as god reflects her love onto us, I would like to reflect my love for them." That's not true, Gabriel thought, I like you. You're not boring in the slightest. He was a little insulted that Raphael thought so little of him but as long as he was on his mind, he would pass. 

"Alright..." Gabriel considered Raphael's statement a little further, "What would you name yourself, then? Pluto?" the angels chuckled. 

"No, Pluto is not a good person name. It's, ah, great for a rock, but I don't think it's what I had in mind. I'd like something with a cool sound in it. _Israfil_ was a name I've thought of but It still has that stupid suffix at the end, so it's in the bin. Oh, also, I'd hate something with the suffix '-ley' at the end. Be absolutely dreadful." Gabriel turned to stick his face against Raphael's neck. He smiled into the flesh and the angel underneath him shivered at the touch.

"Comely, lovely, -"

"-or Ugly."

"You know you're not ugly." Gabriel lased his finger through Raphael's auburn hair as he mouthed the words into him. The angel moaned. 

"I know, but there's, there's a possibility for error, and I know people can exploit it, so let me exploit it first before I change-," Raphael gasped as Gabriel bore his teeth into him. The angel collected himself and continued, "- change my name. Grant me that, would ya?"

"I'll grant you anything," Gabriel said sweetly, removing himself from the angel's neck to look into his face. 

"That's why you're boring. When are you going to finally stick it to me? I deserved to repent for my actions, surely." Raphael cocked an eyebrow at him and Gabriel just smiled at him. Sure, sometimes it seemed like Raphael deserved to burn for his sinful ways. He was as lustful, vain, and slothful as some of the demons he fought but he was an angel, and so he couldn't do any harm in his eyes. He could blow his horn or put red speckles over the planets, and that was mischievous and somewhat damnable, but he was Raphael, so he was perfect. Gabriel planted a kiss on his cheek.

"No, you're perfect, shut up." He replaced his mouth with a hand and cupped the angel's face. "Now, are we gonna make out or what?" He didn't need an answer, Raphael leaned down and joined them. Gabriel held him there for a while, basking in the other's holy brilliance. He heard wings flapping from a distance away and Rapheal pushed him off. "HEY, what-," Raphael pressed his fingers to his lips to silence him and he gave him a kiss on the forehead before falling below the cloud layer and, somewhat noisily, flying away. 

Gabriel didn't know what to think. People had caught them several times out here, why was this time any different? He sat there as whoever was coming towards him came closer. After a minute, the figure became visible in the mist, it was Micheal. She touched down and leered at him. The Heavenly commander was clad in full military outfit. Spear flaming like all get out and eyes full of malice. Gabriel never thought he'd seen so much hate inside an angel before. 

"Where's Raphael?"

"He was just here but he left," Gabriel stated. Angel's couldn't lie, "Why?" Micheal disregarded his question and looked below them, onto the stars. Her wings extended and a holy brilliance shot out of Micheal as she followed Raphael under the clouds. How odd, Gabriel thought. What did Raphael do to gain Micheal's wraith? In his eyes, Rapheal had never ever done anything bad enough to gain such hate. Of course, there was the mischief but wasn't worth smiting. Gabriel rose to his feet and tried to get a better look at the scene below the clouds. Surely Rapheal was only joking when he considered being punished for his action. Was he naive for thinking so?

However, as his eyes cast down into the black, he saw Raphael and Micheal furiously duking it out among the mist. Micheal was trying to stab him. Raphael brandished his horn and was trying to use it as a blunt weapon, aiming for her head. Gabriel immediately darted out to stop Micheal. He put himself between the pair, place a hand on Raphael's chest and waving the other in front of the Holy commander in an attempt to calm her down. 

"What is this? Why are you fight? Raphael, why is she _stabbing_ you?" The angel asked, confused. Micheal raised her spear towards Raphael, brushing the side of his face with the blade.

"He's a traitor, Gabriel, he doesn't deserve your sympathies." Micheal shot at him. 

"Traitor is a bad word." Raphael pushed the weapon away from his face and made a move towards her. Gabriel was in the right position and stopped him before he got his hands on Micheal, pinning his hands in his own to stead his rage. 

"All the other names I have for you are worse." 

"Whatever, you can't smite me, freak, I've done nothing wrong. I was chill'n with Gabe the whole time. Ask him." Micheal didn't follow Rapheal on his statement, instead, attempting to break Gabriel's hold on the angel so she could get a good swing. The spear nested itself inside Raphael's arm and as she drew back, dragged him with it. The inquired angel growled at her and tried to remove the weapon in his limb, but was only met with the pain of the action, and screamed. Gabriel looked on in terror. 

" **STOP**. YOU'RE HURTING HIM!"

"He doesn't deserves your sympathies, Gabriel, bugger off!" Micheal angled the rod and stuck it deeper into Raphael, who was already reduced to snot and tears in the chaos. "Leave, Gabriel, or I might have to smite you too." She grabbed the conquered arm of the angel and retracted her spear just to stab it again into his chest. Gabriel pushed her off of him, trying to save Raphael from what he still thought was extreme. "Stop it!" Micheal regained her ground and slammed Gabriel off to the side. His wings caught him before he could fall into the abyss below. Without his savior protecting him, Micheal was able to hoist Raphael over her powerful shoulders and carry him back to the heavenly abode to properly smite him.

The angel didn't know what to think. The love of his life was nearly killed right in front of him and was currently being carried to his doom, and all he managed to do was stand there in the darkness. He looked around to clarify he was really here in that moment. The clouds carried on as nothing happened, the stars glistened like they didn't care, and Gabriel just floated in his spot, unmoveable with shock. He couldn't help but blame himself for turning into a dunce under pressure. He was a bloody fool. Gabriel eyed the midnight underneath him and wondered if it would be so dreadful if he just stopped moving his wings and felt into the void. It wasn't like he had any purpose now. Everything he cared about was going to be destroyed for reasons he couldn't fathom. What stopped him from ending it all right now?

Gabriel looked towards Micheal's silhouette on the horizon and decided that all of it was ineffable. Stop crying, he told himself, go after them, change this, save him, but he didn't. If it was God's plan that Raphael was going to be killed then she got what she wanted. That was just the way it was. If it was fated, how could he change it? Gabriel balanced his flight feathers and flew back to the spot he was monitoring space from. He sobbed and he sobbed but nothing would change it. He couldn't do anything but cry, and as he cried it cemented itself in Gabriel that the God was malevolent. 


	7. Before the Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Aziraphale' is finally on Trial, but here's what happened beforehand too.

Gabriel tried not to be giddy about it, but he couldn't help but become overjoyed at the idea of Aziraphale burning in Hellfire. He deserved it. That's what he deserved for loving. Gabriel was too busy cleaning up after mourning and didn't get to see the act of kidnapping Aziraphale, which wasn't fair to him. Uriel and Sandalaphon went without him and Micheal left for Hell so the Archangel was left alone in the heavenly trial room with the black dog. Gabriel really didn't want to talk to the satanic furry. All the black dog had to do was light the hellfire and leave. Gabriel felt uneasy about working with the other side, but if it was for the greater good, God's ineffable plan, then exceptions could be made. Still didn't make Gabriel any less uncomfortable with him, though. The Archangel considered false apostles to be dogs, he didn't know if the saying was true, but the Archangel would, nine times out of ten, be too naive with the words of God to question it. 

"So, you like pastels?" The black dog tried to strike some conversation as the pair awkwardly waited for the angels to return. "Seems like everyone up here gots the biggest boner for white. Is that a personal thing or do you all just do that?" Demons and their questions. Gabriel didn't want to answer him but his angelic nature got the better of him.

"It's uniform. We all wear white 'up here'." He answered. The black dog smirked, happy he got a response.

"Don't really stress that, do ya? I mean you're wearing purple, the girl I saw back there," The black dog pointed towards the entrance, which wasn't tricky with the open floor plan, "I saw her wearing yellow. Nasty colors."

"Please,' _Judge me not on what you see, yet by what I do',_ It's the lowest form of respect, bro."Gabriel started counting again in his head. Be patient, he thought, be patient and soon Uriel and Sandalaphon will be back and this can all be over with. It'll be done and Heaven and Hell can coexist, somewhat, and even might get to see Rapheal after it all blows over. However, the previous day still clouded his mind. The demon Crowley's voice lingered in his brain, bouncing around ever so often to quote an event that never happened. _'Where have you been_?' It spoke like an insult but Gabriel's mind kept on twisting it and for some reason, the Archangel felt happy to hear it, even if it was demeaning. But what the Demon said next didn't quite enamor him like Crowley.

"Fuck that, you and me, me and you, nothing but respect. Man, wouldn't have said anything if I didn't mean it with the utmost care. Like is there something to drink around here? Surely ya'll have some wine after communion." The black dog began pacing around the room, searching and failing to find any alcohol. Gabriel rolled his eyes. Fuck it. The demon didn't know that angels didn't eat and it would kill sometime helping him search for the wine that wasn't there, so Gabriel obliged him and they walked around the empty room. The Archangel would look over his shoulder ever so often to look at his face, wondering when the realization would dawn on him. However, though the Archangel preferred this new silence between them, the black dog kept talking. "I haven't had anything to drink since the dark ages. Great spooky times; I like that sort of wispy-creepy mist that used to fall over those sad English villages. Great atmosphere to get drunk in. Not a lot of white back then. Say, do ya'll even drink, I don't see anything around here, buddy."

"I'm not your buddy, pal."

"Well, pal, I thought we were having a moment looking for this wine."The black dog looked him straight into his eyes, "But we'd be in a fight if you tell me that there ain't no wine in heaven. Please?" The demon gave him big puppy dog eyes and it etched something on Gabriel's soul. Gabriel never drank before but he was seriously considering causing a miracle so the dog would have some wine. Just for shits and giggles, he tried to convince himself. The black dog's face twisted into a frown and he shrugged. "No wine is there?"

"NO - ," Why are you doing this, Gabriel thought. He's a demon, you're an angel, you're hereditary enemies, and there's no reason why you should help him out, especially formalities like this. But that angelic, sweet side of him wanted to help him out. Though he hated the dog for being, well, a dog demon, he kind of wanted to be his friend. The rapid rate at which this was going was discerning but having a complete stranger adore him over a simple favor made him a little ditzy."- nO, no we have wine, bro, your just looking in the wrong place." Gabriel miracled a bottle of wine behind his back and when the demon turned around to continue the search for booze with more fervor, he placed the bottle in the previous spot they looked. "Look." The Archangel tapped him on the shoulder and the black dog swiveled on his feet to see the wine. His eyes lit up with demonic glee.

"Yo, groovy man. This," The black dog waved the bottle between them, "This makes you my buddy, _pal_. Massive respect. Big respect for you." Gabriel's heart did a familiar somersault in his chest and the archangel plastered another faux smile onto his face.

"I'm not your pal, buddy."

"Whatever, bro, this is a talisman of a good time." He used his evil powers to pop the cork and take a big swig. "That's good. Want some?"

"No, I don't taint my heavenly body with gross matter." 

"Funny." It was Gabriel's turn to do the questioning. 

"How?"

"Little bit pretentious, but it's cool, man, I know some demons that have that sort of mindset. Don't care, more for me." The demon drank and the archangel was silent. Gabriel observed him. The black dog didn't look like anything angelic, it was more likely that he'd always been something demonic. Gabriel hadn't seen a fallen angel, after the fall, and couldn't tell if they kept any sort of semblance from their time in heaven, but he could hope. The more he felt the dark energy the more he remembered being in the presence of the demon Crowley. Small parts began to come back to him. His eyes, the copious amounts of black, and... and the hair. The realization hit him like a freight train. The hair, his hair was the same. That meant, no, that could mean that the demon Crowley was once his Raphael, could it? Did Raphael keep his hair after he fell? Did he keep anything else? Gabriel felt a deep lonesome wondering. He could think all he wanted about the fallen angel but when it came down to brass tacks, that was in the past, and the past was unchangeable. The Archangel motioned to the black dog if he could take a drink. "Won't regret it, bro. It's good stuff. By the way, what's your name? mines The Black Dog, nothing much there."

"Thanks. It's Gabriel." Gabriel never thought he would ever thank a demon, but if Crowley was once Raphael, then he did a lot more with a demon than he would admit. "If an Angel fell to Hell do they get to keep anything?"

"You considering it? Being forsaken is not all that bad, it's painful till it's not. But, it has its perks."

"No, I trust the lord as much as the Lord trusts me, just wanted to know." Gabriel held the wine up to his lips. It was hard to get down but once it settled in his stomach he felt a tad bit better. He didn't agree with the demon's idea of good wine, perhaps they would have to get more. "Curious."

"When I fell, I got to keep most of my stuff, minus my harp, but I don't miss it though." The demon dog took the bottle back and strummed the air like harp strings. 

"Really? You were an angel?"

"Yeah, don't look like much anymore. Comes with the job, as much as ya'll get to wear white, we too have to keep up some form of dress code too, though it's not as terrible as just pastels. You saw Beezelbub, right?" Gabriel tried to remember the other people on the airstrip but could only think of the one.

"No, I only remember the Demon Crowley." He admitted shyly. 

"CROWLEY. THAT FUCKING SLIMY SNAKE I COULD RING HIS NECK." The demon coughed out in rage. The wine might have been at fault for his emphasized anger, but before he could really shout he blinked for a bit, trying to regain his composer. "I have some strong opinions on that freak, not only is he the traitor of hell but he's a major asshole too. He killed my boy, Ligur, got Hastur's corporation destroyed, all-around terrible guy. I'm surprised Aziraphale likes him, it's hard for me to see past all his-" The dog waved his hands in a circle, "-all of his flaws. But, that won't be for long now, would it?" Gabriel forgot about the trial. 

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, bro, that's great. Destroying both of them, peaches and cream."

"I know. You know what, when Uriel and that dude show up with Aziraphale and all this has blown over, could you do something for me? A little _scratch-my-back- and-I'll-scratch-yours_ scenario. Could you allow me to see the pearly gates?" Gabriel wasn't familiar with the phrase but could tell it was a form of bargaining. The demon was trying to tempt him. The archangel wanted to stop him right there but was curious about what he could get out of this.

"What's in it for me?" The demon dog considered Gabriel's statement for a moment.

"Whatever, Gabe. I just miss the cleanliness, the open spaces, and the heavenly break room. Satan, I miss The Sound of Music." The demon dog stated sadly. Gabriel's heart fluttered. There was someone out there that did love the movie.

"Yeah, man, I play it every easter. How about this-" Gabriel smiled. The black dog cocked an eyebrow at him, interested in what he had to say next, "I get you in to see the film next easter, and you come with me to Earth sometime for a little bit of wine tasting?"

"Dude, it a deal." The demon spat into his palm and shook the Archangel's hand. Gabriel was disgusted but never the less glad he had a thing to look forward to after they drowned the love of his life and torched his coworker. Just then Uriel and Sandalaphon warped into the room with Aziraphale. The black dog quickly stashed the bottle into his coat, which magically accepted it and released Gabriel from his grip.

"Oops, I'm not supposed to be here yet, cover for me." The demon whispered before flashing him a satanic smile and disappearing into the floor.

Aziraphale had a piece of holy duck tape covering his mouth, hands, and feet, and was cursing at them in a furious fit. Uriel had the traitor in her hands while Sandalaphon, who was not the strongest or the brawniest of the angel, dragged behind her. She aggressively unbound him as she plopped him into the only chair in the room. Other angels tied Aziraphale down with holy ropes, which had runes etched onto its fiber, which in turn would keep any being in place.

Gabriel watched them intensively, but couldn't help but be distracted by the overwhelming demonic presence in the room. Yes, Aziraphale was probably cloaked in sin for his action of betraying heaven. However, did that make Aziraphale evil? The archangel had recently gotten around to liking the angel and didn't see him as the threat he was portrayed as. He was just the dumb fluffy pansy that questioned too much and liked Crowley. However, in a sense, Gabriel also liked Crowley, so he wondered if his jealousy for the Angel was the thing stinking up the room. But, that wouldn't explain the

evil in it. It was fishy. Surely, the other Angels felt what he was sensing right?

"Ah." Gabriel pronounced as he approached the bound form. "Aziraphale, so glad you could join us." He patted the angel's shoulder in a sarcastic gesture of reassurance.

"You could have just sent a message. I mean, a kidnapping in broad daylight." Aziraphale shot at him.

"Call it what it was: and Extraordinary rendition." The Archangel chuckled, "Now, have we heard from our new associate?" Gabriel looked down, he didn't what any one of the angels to see the lie in his eyes. 

"He's on his way." Uriel responded. Gabriel thought that was just great. He couldn't stop smiling. He gave Aziraphale a triumphant leer as he raised his hands in excitement.

"He's on his way. I think you're going to like this." He brought his arms together in front of him. Aziraphale gave him an 'Oh yeah' type of face. Gabriel knew Aziraphale wouldn't be so on the nose. He was polite. Nobody other than Aziraphale sat through six thousand Easters with The Sound of Music and told no one he hated it until they forced it out of him. But maybe the whole betraying God did something to an angel, he couldn't tell. Gabriel was just angry at him for being him. "I really do. And I bet you didn't see this one coming."

Aziraphale just smiled and nodded. What a fucking prick, Gabriel thought. After all these years I've tortured you about your weight, your dumb face, and your absolute stupid intellect, now your gonna break. Be a better time than any. 

After a few moments of waiting, the demon dog reappeared. Every one acknowledged him while Gabriel gave him the brightest smile.

"You don't get this view from the basement." He said as he casually strolled up to Aziraphale. He stopped at a big ring on the floor and proceeded to cover it in hellfire from his hands. The fire roared with a demonic brilliance and rose higher almost touching the ceiling of the holy trial room. Gabriel was absolutely stunned by its heat but Aziraphale only looked at it disappointed. That's it. If he was going to turn his final moments into a pissing contest, Gabriel would grant him that. 

"So, with one act of treason, you averted the war."

"Well, I think the greater good -"

"Don't talk to me about the greater good, sunshine. I'm the Archangel fucking Gabriel." Gabriel leered at him. "The greater good was we were finally going to settle things with the opposition once and for all." Uriel took that as a cue to take the ropes off of Aziraphale.

"Up!" She commanded the traitor. Aziraphale stretched his arms with a smugness similar to an aloof cat and stood. He straightened his bow tie, which Gabriel thought was really vain of him, and stared into the flames. 

"I don't suppose I can persuade you to reconsider?" said the angel. Gabriel looked at him funny. He already experienced one demon trying to tempt him that day was perplexed with the similarity of the two scenarios. "We're meant to be the good guys, for Heaven's sake."

"Well, for Heaven's sake, we are meant to make examples out of traitors. So..." Gabriel gestured to the fire," Into the flame." Aziraphale stepped close enough to the swirling madness that his face shimmered with a red hue.

"Right. Well-" Aziraphale took one last look at them, "lovely knowing you all. May we meet on a better occasion." Gabriel was done with him.

"Shut your stupid mouth and die already." Their eyes met and he glowered at the angel. Aziraphale returned the grin and sized him up. Legitamently sized him up with his eyes. If Gabriel wasn't trying to be the boss in the situation he'd fucking drop kick him into the fire right then in there. The Archangel tried counting in his head to prevent himself from destroying Aziraphale, but he didn't get the chance, as the angel stepped into the fire pro-bono. Gabriel winced as the flames crackled around the angel's form. 

"Ahh." Aziraphale groaned from inside the inferno. The angels couldn't comprehend what was happening. Aziraphale popped his neck and smiled at the relief in his joints. Gabriel stared at Uriel and Uriel stared at Sandalaphon and Sandalaphon stared at him, but no one knew what was going on. The champion of Heaven on earth smiled inside the flames before roaring out a column of fire from his breath. It took all of Gabriel's power for him to focus on getting the other angels, and himself, away from the torrent before it hit their position. Aziraphale was practically a demon.

"It may be worse than we thought."


	8. After the Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel goes out for dinner with his new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> final chapter bebe gonna give Gabriel the boyfriend he deserves

"See that?" The black dog pointed towards a pile of nachos the size of his head. The demon had taken Gabriel out to this 'restaurant' on a patch of terra the dog was familiar with, which was this place called Texas for some reason. "That is the Monster Kong Nachos. Bet ya the check that I can finish it all by myself." Gabriel grimaced at him. He was still pretty new to this eating thing, drinking was okay, as long as it wasn't anything chunky like a smoothie. He and The Black dog had a terrible experience trying out Shakes. However, he wasn't just going to stand for the Demon tempting himself into something without him

"I won't want my worse enemy to eat that, But-" Gabriel shot him a challenging stare," - if you do it, I got to do it with you."

"It's a deal." The dog gave him a devious grin and flagged down a waitress to order the monstrous food. They made a routine out of this. Gabriel would invite the Demon to movies, both in Heaven and on Earth, and the Demon would take him out drinking. At one point in the night, one of them always had to indulge in whatever the other was doing. One time it was popcorn another a margarita, but they both made a point of sharing in the experience. If tonight they were going to split a ginormous plate of cheese and tortilla chips, then that was tonight, if it went sour, like if the Nachos caused both of there sacred cooperations to vomit for the next two hours, then so be it. There was always tomorrow. 

The black dog looked across the table at him and put his hand over the Archangel's. They had gotten to know each other quite well over the past couple of months. Gabriel told him about Raphael, and though the demon was disturbed to hear it, he excepted him as he was, broken. Likewise, the dog had told him of the many journeys he was sent on for Hell. He made a name for himself as the Chupacabra in Latin America and as The Hound in Europe. Gabriel couldn't help but become enamored by the demon's popularity and sooner than later, the demon became enamored with him, though it was nothing as solid as the Arch Angel would want it to be, he was a demon after all. It was The Black dog's nature to be mischievous, and Gabriel learned that he also needed except him as he was if they were going to make this relationship work out. 

By some miracle, the Monster Kong Nachos arrived at there table with remarkable speed. The black dog eyed the meal with hungry eyes but didn't dig in till the Archangel was ready. They both held a cheese coated chip up off the dish, dinged them together like wine glasses, and tried the monstrosity. Gabriel was amazed by the taste. The dog seemed surprised by it as well. 

"These are great, bro. If I would've known that nachos tasted this good, I would've taken you here ages ago. I don't think I'm going to have a problem finishing them myself."

"Finish my ass, you ain't going to eat all of this?" Gabriel was unsure if the demon was joking or not. That was one thing the Archangel also had a problem on. Humans liked jokes so in turn demons steeped themselves in it. The Black dog had to tell him all about irony and satire and Gabriel was a little bit more than unnerved that he already had experience in this satanic activity. 

"I will! I will finish all of these if you don't step up. Fucking shade me all you want, but if you're talking, you're not eat'n."

"Fine. Fine, I'll fight you. Bet you're gonna be a bitch about it though." said the Archangel. The demon chuckled and narrowed his eyes.

"Funny."

"What." Gabriel's face twisted into a confused frown.

"Nah, man, I'm just glad you're finally making jokes on your own. Small steps for man, a giant leap for mankind, ya know? I hope you don't turn out to be a real wise-crack. You're really gonna miss me once I dump your ass for the next unfunny dirtbag that comes along." The Black dog stated as he demolition the pile of chips. Gabriel couldn't believe the amount of pride this little man had stored up. He didn't know how to respond to that statement so the demon was forced to continue. "Not that there's anyone that could replace your dumbass. You know, besides all the feathers and the halo, your actually an interesting person. I don't think there's anyone else on this world or the others that'll talk to me about Julie Andrews then call _me_ the bitch." He crunched a chip noisily between his teeth.

"Wait, you actually think I'm interesting?" Gabriel was stunned that anyone would call him that. He was so used to being called boring by Rapheal he didn't even consider that anyone would ever find him the slightest bit appealing. He took a swig of his beer to calm himself down. Gabriel thought he was a freak. He thought he was just another angel with dumb fluffy hair and mistaken values but when the black dog talked about him like he was something, he considered he might actually have some worth after all. 

"Totally. Gabe, why would you think any less of yourself? You can fucking smite people with you with your thoughts. You can play a mean piano, and your basically a Jon Hamm look-alike. Baby, you've got it all. Tell me, are you making me talk so I don't eat? That's intuitive if I do say myself." He took another bite from the pile. "I do say." The demon repeated.

"No, no. It's just..." Gabriel had to hide his face. Though the Archangel had everything to lose, he still hated telling people his emotions. Micheal still barked at him to count to calm down. Sandalaphon was still the sarcastic meatloaf he always was. So it didn't take people a hop, skip, and a jump to figure that Gabriel would be the same person after Aziraphale's trial went horribly wrong. Gabriel always thought that he needed to hide behind the stereotypical tough-guy persona he had put together over the millennia. He thought that he had to keep the walls up and never let them down. Little did Gabriel ever consider that someone, despite his walls, could just fucking blast through. "It's just that I've always been told that I am boring by the other angels. I was starting to believe it was true." The Black dog put down his chips and gave him a sad look. The demon wiped his greasy hands on his napkin and then placed it tentatively over Gabriel's again.

"Baby, you know better."

"Yeah, but it's just something else hearing it from you." He gave the demon's hand a squeeze.

"Oh, boy, you got my heart lacing all different directions, I'm gonna need more beer if you keep this up." He took his hand away and raised his beer to his lips."But I ain't lying. Know that." Gabriel knew that, despite the other's demonic ways, he could trust him when he said it. God, he thought, was this why he hated Aziraphale? Because he was finally able to confine and trust someone? Because he found out who he loved, purely, and thorough, despite the who it was with? Gabriel could care less if Aziraphale loved his Raphael. Gabriel finally had someone who actually gave a damn.

"Me too, damn, It's like you actually care." Both of them chuckled.

It took a while to demolish the whole plate of Monster Kong nachos but when they did It was the black dog who finished it off, triumphantly proclaiming his victory to the entire restaurant. He stood on his chair, hammered and stuffed, stating how he was the king of the cheese. Gabriel had to pull him out of the establishment kicking and screaming. He wasn't a pretty sight, but he was _his_ , and if they fought in the parking lot, at least they were fighting together, and Gabriel would appreciate that. When they were thoroughly established on the asphalt, the black dog looped an arm through the Archangel's and swang him back and forth like he was about to burst into song. In fact, he did, starting his drunken rambling by singing ' _Step in Time_ ' from Mary Poppins. 

"What are you doing?" Gabriel asked the Black dog.

" _Never need a reason, never need a rhyme, around the chimney, step in time -."_ The demon sang back to him. His song stopped suddenly as his foot hit a parking divider and he, on impact, flung himself to the ground in a flurry of arms and legs. "Oh." 

"Oh?" Gabriel went to his side to pick the demon off of the road. He stuck an arm underneath the demon's knees and another between the ground and his back, slowly easing him up bridal-style. The Black dog let out a mad cackle when he realized he was being carried and clutched at his heart as if the Archangel made it want to leap out of his chest. "You know? After, what was it, (seven beers?), and roughly ten pounds of food, It's hard for me to comprehend that there's a corporation beneath all that polyester." Gabriel acted like he was about to drop him, which elicited a scream from his partner. 

"Drop me and you're going to be a dead son of a bitch!" He giggled. Gabriel gave him a face and the Black dog pointed an accusing finger at him. "You will be dead!"

"What did you say to me earlier? 'I can smite people with my thoughts'? Wouldn't that be great in times like these?"

"You wouldn't. You might be Mr.Mean, but, just like me, underneath seven beers and ten pounds of food, there's a corporation underneath. And, I bet that corporation what's to get laid tonight, right?" the demon gave him eyes. Gabriel stopped in his tracks. They never did the sex before. The Archangel had told the black dog the absence rule and it was generally accepted amongst the two that it was somewhat forbidden territory. The dog might be downright sinful sometimes, brimming full of deadly lust and pride, but he had never, until now that is, tempted him with physicality. Gabriel was supposed to be the Angel of revelation, and like all things, it seemed like his duty to speak the facts. 

"You're drunk." His revelation resounded out into the night. "Talk to me when you're sober." He shifted the demon in his arms to get a better grip of him. "But, yes, I would _like_ to get laid tonight, but I _love_ the words of God. You mind dropping it till you're functional in _all_ areas." 

"You virgin with rage, I like you." He curled his head into the crook of Gabriel's neck. Just like he used to do with Raphael, Gabriel considered for a second. The Archangel had to remind himself that The Black dog was not a replacement for Raphael. He was a whole new beast. Moments like these made him question the practicality of Falling. Moments like these made him want to change the world so that he and the Black dog could be in a practical relationship, not angel and demon. Gabriel hated himself for being such a hypocrite. Adrammelch, he thought. He was still an Adramelech. No less of an evil fiend than the being in his hands. Gabriel shot himself out of his thought and restarted there trek to the darkest area in the parking lot. "You don't hate me for asking, do you?"

"No. Absolutely dread your existence? Maybe. Man, you make me think weird thoughts." Gabriel admitted.

"Man, you make me think weird thoughts." The demon in his arms responded, reverting his bedroom eyes for a pair of shining innocence ones. Gabriel noisily planted his feet together, when he was sure they were out of sight. The Archangel released his wings and the Black dog gasped at the tickling sensation of millions of feathers brushing up against his back. The wings adjusted themselves for flight and they launched the pair off of the ground and into the night. 


	9. Enoch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> God sends down the second part of her message, and this time it's Micheal who gets to be the angel of revelations, much to Gabriel's anger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got to stir the pot just a little. Don't worry it's not like it's the end of the world ☺

Gabrel sat idly by as Micheal and Sandalaphon sifted through thousands upon thousands of scripters. Though the Archangel was more distracted, as he would put it, with his existence, Gabriel still had a job to do. God had spoken again. Not with the same instruction that she possessed the last time but a new visage. The Almighty had spoken to Micheal too, which caught the Angle of Revelations off guard. Why would God be talking to the supreme commander and not him? It wasn't like Micheal was a good leader, she was the embodiment of the role, but it wasn't her place to be receiving orders from the King of kings. Gabriel didn't want to blame her, wanted to look on this scenario as a happy accident, but God didn't make mistakes and the Archangel still held onto the malice he carried for the angelic warrior. The words of the Lord wouldn't change that.

Sandalaphon picked up a holy manilla folder full of scraps from the new testament and eyed the package with concern. 

"Why would God speak of this with such short notice? Wasn't the Antichrist enough for a while? Can't we get another two thousand years as she did with Jesus, just so we could finish the paperwork?" said the choirmaster in a worried tone. Aziraphale's trial had just reached its one-year anniversary, and thankfully, no one had to put up with the principality since then. It had been quiet in the big office in the Sky. No major religious awakenings had occurred, no more prophets (or false ones for that matter) had made themselves know in the world, and the inactivity that all this nothing caused made Heaven a very relaxing workspace. There was virtually no work to be had besides the continued file on Aziraphale, which was left up to less powerful angels than the ones in the room. However, now that God had spoken again, they all had to found themselves back into the saddle of a holy nine-to-five. 

"Again, Micheal, bro, what did God say onto you that's got us into this big hurry? I'm still stunned as to why she would take to you instead of me." Gabriel questioned. Micheal lifted herself off of the scripters to give Gabriel a leer.

" - _And when their sons have slain one another, and they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them fast for seventy generations in the valleys of the earth, till the day of their judgment and of their consummation, till the judgment that is forever and ever is consummated. In those days they shall be led off to the abyss of fire: to the torment and the prison in which they shall be confined for ever. And whosoever shall be condemned and destroyed will from thenceforth be bound together with them to the end of all generations-._ She said that onto me because, unlike you, I was actually in Heaven when she spoke. If you wanted to keep your position as the Angel of Revelation, I'd suppose you'd have to act like one." Micheal sneered back at him.

It was true, Gabriel was too busy now with the Black Dog to have had heard God talking. Part of him wondered if he had become inherently tainted since he was hanging around demons more frequently; if his recreation in satanic activity had made him less saintlike and as Micheal tore into him with angry words, he couldn't help but think it was somewhat true. He also figured, if he fell out of grace then his position would go to the next best person fit for the job, i.e. Micheal, but Gabriel would never think that he would see his succession in this timeline. 

"So, is this a continuation of what God told me before?" Gabriel tied to change the subject. Micheal huffed and looked down at the holy files.

"I think it is. It would make a lot more sense that way. The children of the Watchers, the fighting, It has all pasted and the next step of the revelation has commenced. Now we-" Micheal heaved a heavy box off of the floor and onto the holy break room table, "- we have to see what this means. I won't let us slip up on it as you did with the last one."

"Yeah," Sandalaphon intervened from the floor," Yeah, we still haven't found out what the first part meant. Aziraphale never did have kids."

"He never had children because it was symbolic, Sandalaphon. Didn't you hear what Aziraphale said about this? The children of the watchers is the evil seeded between Heaven and Hell and by relinquishing that hatred we will have peace. Doesn't it look like we're at peace to you?" Gabriel barked at him. Sandalaphon nodded in hesitation. No matter how many angel and demons became friends, each of them would harbor that deep animosity for the other side. That was what God had constructed them with. 

"Since when do you agree with Aziraphale? Last time I heard you talking to him, we were about to make him walk into a ring of hellfire for being a traitor. And that's what he is, a traitor, so why are we suddenly agree with our worse enemies? Gabriel, don't you still hate him?"

"You had me convinced that I should admit my to my anger, and I did, and now that I've become absolved off my sins, you wish me to cherish them?"

"NO," Micheal shot back at him," No, I don't want you to cherish that which pained you, I only wanted to know if the affliction still clouded your judgment. I see that it doesn't."

"Amen," said Sandalaphon. "I was sitting here thinking Gabriel was still jealous." He grinned up at the Archangels who rolled their eyes in unison. Many things had changed over the past year, but it was still apparent that despite all the chaos that ravaged Heaven, Sandalaphon would always be Sandalaphon. Gabriel groaned and looked back to his scripters. He held a passage from the book of Enoch and tried his best to get his mind off of killing everyone in the room in order to more clearly focus on what he was reading, but it was no uses. After considering what the Choirmaster said for a moment he decided to perk up. 

"I was jealous of him. I truly was. Then I realized that he was just a sad fool and that I could have anything that he had, tenfold." Gabriel spoke to no one in particular. 

"Is that what your demon has you believing? I don't understand the blind faith you have in that man." Sandalaphon gipped, standing up to place another sorted box onto the holy break room table. The choirmaster didn't sense the irony like Gabriel did and the Archangel chuckled to himself. "What's so funny?" Gabriel brought his eyes down onto the paper he was holding. He still wasn't good at lying, despite the Demon's practice with him. 

"Just Enoch, silly Enoch." Gabriel stated." Parables are simply... Hilarious."

"Wait." Something came across Micheal's face. Something akin to horror. "Let me see that," Micheal asked the Archangel, extending a hand in his direction. Gabriel raised his eyebrows are her and slipped the Heavenly commander the passage. She scanned the lines before paging to the table of contents. "Enoch, chapter ten." She proclaimed before flipping to the section in question, "I saw this in the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs. You see, most people rejected it since it contained prophecies pertaining to Christ. But, look at this. I think God might be speaking through the Enoch. Yeah, look, '9. _and the Lord said to Gabriel:_ yada yada _destroy the children of the watchers... send them one against the other that they may destroy each other... 11. Then the Lord said onto Micheal:...12. and when the sons have slain one another, and seen the destruction of there beloved ones..._ yada yada _abyss of fire...'_ God is speaking through Enoch. Gabriel, don't you see?!" Micheal slammed the passage onto the heavenly break room table and looked up at him.

"Oh my lord..." Was all that Gabriel could say as the shock forced its way into his head. If God was reliving the book of Enoch, and everything that had come to past came true, then what was next in the passage, abyss of fire and all, was going to happen as well. Gabriel pushed his hand through his hair. "Yeah. Looks like the apocalypse, is, ah, it's still up for grabs."

"Yeah. Everything else has happened so the next logical step is war." Micheal sank down into a chair, the fear in the situation came to greet her as well.

"Great." Sandalaphon sprawled out on the floor to make an angel into the holy paper, the biggest smile carved its way across his face. "Can't have war without war."

"Shut it, Sandalaphon. We must take this with ever most seriousness."Quipped Micheal as she tried to regain herself. "Maybe it's not war. Maybe we're dealing with some type of metaphor, again. The sons, we know that's the hatred between Heaven and Hell. Ah, ' _bind them fast for seventy generations',_ What could that mean?" The Supreme Commander looked towards the Archangel anxiously and the Archangel frowned. He realized he might have a revelation after all. He got up from his spot at the holy break room table and looked at her with the most serious face he'd ever had to muster.

"I only know one angel smart enough to figure this one out. You're not gonna like him, though." Gabriel stated shyly. 


	10. Dinner date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel and Sandalaphon go on a double date with the traitors Crowley and Aziraphale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had no choice, I thought that I wanted a happy ending for Gabriel with his boyfriend but, now that I've rewatched the show for the third time, I hate him again and want to ruin him for everyone else.

The corporations that heaven put Gabriel and Sandalaphon into were ridiculous. Micheal didn't want them to use their usual bodies in order to have the advantage of stealth, but Gabriel couldn't think about why stealth would help in a situation where the primary goal was to engage the target. However, Micheal wouldn't hear it, so here they were, in a funky restaurant called 'The Ritz', dressed up like a group of preachers on holiday. Sandalaphon was having a blast. They were waiting to be seated near the target and the Choirmaster wouldn't stop calling customers 'son' and would start christening them right there on the spot without consent. He almost got slapped for it, but all this new social freedom gave him every reason to be gleeful. By some miracle, a waiter stopped him in the nick of time, and lead the Archangel and the Choirmaster to there table. From there the pair eyed down the targets and prepared to launch their ambush.

"Look at them," Sandalaphon proclaimed as he fixed his heavenly neckpiece. Gabriel removed his eyes from Crowley for a moment just to return them. Aziraphale and the Demon were just having a grand time. The angel was making his way through a chicken parm, going off, very loudly the Archangel might say, about a particular encounter with a man at a mall, and Crowley was just staring at him. Very intently staring at him. Like if he didn't look at Aziraphale, he might float away. Raphael never looked at Gabriel like that. 

"Yeah, all doe-eyed and loving, absolute horse shit." The archangel responded. 

"You know, I might have not been there when Rapheal was, well, Raphael, but I heard somethings in heavenly congress and I got to say: He's a piece of meat." Sandalaphon dinged his fork against his glass of regular water in a clumsy effort and every one three meters away looked at them, including the Angel and Demon. 

"Yes, Father, the body of Christ, though normally referred to as the bread, is in some translation, used in the idea of transubstantiation. Christ is nothing but holy... meat... and blood." Gabriel looked sternly at him. Sandalaphon went quiet. In a whispered, Gabriel continued, " -and if you don't stop it with this undermining bullshit, I will turn you into nothing but holy blood and meat."

"Do you think they're missionaries?" Gabriel heard Aziraphale speak to Crowley.

"I don't know, Angel, don't know anyone else who'd talk about transubstantiation in this century." The demon responded, "Maybe they're like us, out of time." Crowley cupped a hand in Aziraphale's and brought it up to his lips, kissing his knuckles. Gabriel wanted to puke. 

"Crowley..." The angel said breathlessly.

"Transubstantiation," Gabriel cleared his throat," Also informs one how to present offerings. Burnt cereals, wine, crackers, almost everything under the sun can be classified as an offering, besides humans, the only human sacrificed to God was his son. And, even so, that can be considered as an act of cannibalism, as the meat and blood of Christ had to be consumed as an atonement for human sin." Gabriel stated, loud enough so that the target could understand his point. If they were going to make him sick by snogging in front of them, he'd make them sick the only way he knew how, with facts. Crowley looked visibly queazy. The Archangel thought this was as best of a time as any to pounce on them. He turned around in his chair, and with much hast and great difficulty, managed to scoot it up to the pair's table. "Hi, pals." He wheezed.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Crowley let Aziraphale's hand fall to the table. 

"It's me, Archa - I mean, Father Gabriel, I'm a televangelist, I speak on TV." Gabriel thought he was getting used to this lying thing. He pointed back to his table, "That's brother Sandel-phone, he's like my writer. I was wondering if you two - have you two have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior?" Gabriel flashed them an innocent smile like it didn't pain him greatly to do this. Aziraphale was quick to respond.

"Yeah, I've seen televangelist before, not really peas and carrots with them. Can you please leave us to our meal?" Aziraphale looked back at Crowley and frowned. Gabriel didn't care if he was bothering them, he needed to make a point. Instead of throwing hands like he wanted to do, the Archangel straightened up and prepared for defense.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt ya'll, I sincerely am. But have you ever considered that Jesus' pop might say something again? The- the book of Enoch states that the children of the watchers should face each other in combat and that their days are numbered, have you ever considered that?" Gabriel placed his hands on the table, trying to let his rage fizzle out. Aziraphale's eyes went wide and he returned his gaze to Crowley. 

"Would you excuse me a sec, dear? I think I want to hear him out." Aziraphale leaped up from his chair and nearly dragged Gabriel to the Men's restroom, slamming him against the stalls with whatever was left of his holy strength. "YOU." The angel barked at him.

"I know what your thinking." Gabriel tried to reconcile with him. "And, I know you're not happy, but hear me out, bro."

"Father Gabriel, now that's clever, are you gonna try to tell me how to live my life? You're a fucking televangelist, I don't give two shits about what you got to say to me. I'm going to live my life the way God intended me to: ." Aziraphale delivered a punch to Gabriel abdomen " God intended me to live my life the Gayest I can possibly make it. And, I don't care what you or that other zealot out there think of me, I just what to enjoy and night out with my boyfriend." Gabriel couldn't help but chuckle through the pain.

"You're got me confused. You see, I don't care about whatever you and Crowl- I mean that guy have going on. I just need your help interrupting some scripture." The archangel responded weakly, the blood clotting in his mouth causing him to go horse. 

Aziraphale picked him off the floor and pinned him to the bathroom stall. Someone screamed from inside but the angels were preoccupied to notice." Know what, a part of me really wants to hear you out and the other really wants to beat your ass right here, right now."

"Okay, Okay, stop me when this sounds familiar." Gabriel placed his arms in front of him to block his face from the continued violence. "The children of the Watchers, they're dead, right? God is making the book of Enoch come true, and so that means after the children of the Watchers humanity get bathed in an abyss of fire. Sound familiar, Aziraphale?"

The angel dropped his hold of the archangel and Gabriel fell to the floor. "Gabriel?"

"Wings and all." Gabriel felt relieved that he finally was able to get that off his chest, but he soon regretted it as Aziraphale just continued his assault with a renewed vengeance. 

"YOU." He stated through gritted teeth, " You lying sack of feather. Don't think I haven't heard what has happened. ' _Shut your stupid mouth and die already_ ' that's a really clever one, wise-ass." Aziraphale kicked him in the ribs and Gabriel's breath left him. He needed to be in control.

"I know. I know." Gabriel was working up his power, "I KNOW." He finally said and time froze. The angels stopped with it and Gabriel's turned omnipotent, speaking from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. "I know that I'm a terrible person, but frankly I'm over that now, and I'd like it if you'd obliged me. I - Michael and I need your help."

"Why should I help you? I'm beyond you. I hate you, you hate me, why don't we just agree to split the shit and settle this like the angels we are?"

"Cause you're the smartest of them all, Aziraphale. We won't have wanted to kill you if we didn't think your knowledge was something, something to be trifled. Besides, God doesn't care if you're gay. A wise man once told me that it's not what you are but who -" Gabriel was cut off as Aziraphale spoke. 

"Shut up, you clod and unfreeze me!" the angel bitched from the ethereal plane. Gabriel humored him and the angel came back to life. This time, Aziraphale falling on the floor and Gabriel getting off it. 

"I need your help. The world was just getting good for me and I don't want it to hit the fan now." The archangel extended a hand down to the angel. Aziraphale sized him up from the ground then got up on his own. Dusting off whatever dirt got on him from the fall, he returned his hateful gaze to Gabriel.

"Fine." The angel didn't take his time rushing to the door and pulling it open, "But, you got to talk to me at the table or else it's off."

"Fine." Gabriel barked back and the angels made there way back into the dining room. 

"You took your time," Crowley stated as Aziraphale pulled up another chair to the table so Sandalaphon could join them for dinner. Gabriel sat down and a waiter questioned the group if they wanted water. Though the archangel's face was battered up and his mouth swollen, he graciously excepted. Crowley looked at them all like they were insane. "So, we're having guest over now?" the demon stated as he took a sip from his wine.

"It's Gabriel, babe, say hi," said Aziraphale as he wiped his bloody knuckles on his napkin. Crowley about spat out his drink.

"Gabriel." He held himself still, Gabriel gave him a faux smile and a pained wave.

"And your Crowley, nice to formally meet." Gabriel pretended like he hadn't put the pieces together and know that he was once Raphael just so he wouldn't have to have _that_ conversation right now. He wanted to get this over with and then nurse his broken bones with a Margarita and his favorite dog. But God made him petty "So, Aziraphale, this is great. You, me, Sandalaphon, and the destroyer of worlds. What an oddly put together pair."

"Yeah," Crowley bleated, swirling his wine to distract himself from looking at anyone. "You don't judge a book by its cover, or, or, whatever. Why is Gabriel dining with us?" The demon broke his contact with the glass to look at Aziraphale, a curious stare. Gabriel couldn't help but match it. It's been almost Millenia since he looked at that face. Crimson hair, smile sharp enough to kill a regular man, and his eyes, Gabriel couldn't see his eyes underneath the darkened glasses he wore and he didn't remember them from the airbase. The archangel wondered if he kept them after the fall. Raphael's eyes were evergreen in heaven. Like the plants in Eden, something pure and innocent. It was a stark contrast to the rest of him. With the mischief and satanic fancies, the demon carried now, the green in him probably translated to something more sinister or wouldn't be there at all. Gabriel wanted to take off those shades and see for himself, to prove if Raphael was still in there.

"There're not dining with us. Gabriel, here, wants to chat. So, he's got till I can finish this chicken parmesan and then I'm gonna kick his ass." Aziraphale stated. He removed his fork from the table and clanged it on his plate. " You might want to start now." Gabriel shot out of his thoughts, his brain working itself into gear as he saw the small portion of chicken. 

"Right." Gabriel loosened his shoulders and waved his hands in front of him, "So, the, ah, the children of the watchers. You were right about that. The hatred seeded between Heaven and Hell, it's gone to goo. It's great. I, personally, am the biggest hypocrite of them all, cause I got 'friends' now. Royal stuff, it would've been absolute lunacy a year ago, but the prophecy has come true and evil and good are, more or less, acquainted." The Archangel looked to Sandalaphon who rolled his eyes. Gabriel didn't want to tell the traitors about his own traitorous deeds with demons, but they had to know what they were stepping in. 

"Splendid news." Crowley muttered underneath his breath, "Why didn't this happen, you know, sooner?"

"God is difficult." Sandalaphon intervened. Gabriel wanted to slap him. 'God is difficult' didn't even nick the iceberg. There was so much else to say. God hates us, Gabriel wanted to say, God doesn't care about rules. She wants to see us suffer. The archangel thought this all to be very ironic. God created two sides to hate each other, people got punished trying to unite the two, and know that it was peaches and cream, all that nonsense didn't matter. 

"Yeah." Was all Gabriel could get out about that though. " She spoke to Michael recently and we've discovered that God is repeating verses from the book of Enoch."

"You said that." Aziraphale pushed a piece of poultry around his dish, "Enoch, that's a Jewish apocalyptical text. Why would God reenact that, of all things?"

"I don't know, but she _is_ and I need you to help Heaven figure out the next part. You see, since the children of the watchers was a metaphor, we think that the next part might also be that way too. It was-" Gabriel racked his brain trying to remember the crucial words of the lord."- _something something_ all their sons shall be slain, and like-wise all that they beloved, then they'll be bonded to the earth for seventy generations until it all ends up in an abyss of fire." Crowley spat out his drink again.

"Again? But we just got done with an abyss of fire. It can't be literal, it just can't be."

"I know. That's why everyone is scrambling to get this right. That's why I want to get this right." Gabriel's eyes meet Crowley's as he spoke. The fear in the Archangel voice was noticed by everyone at the table. Gabriel knew he couldn't let his world, this new and exciting world he has so graciously taken for granted go to waste, and he felt that the traitors could sympathize with that. Aziraphale put down his fork and made Gabriel face him. The angel shrugged off anything that might have made him look vulnerable and glared at the Archangel with the same immense power he possessed in the Men's restroom. 

"I trust you. I do. But I can't get it off my mind that what you're doing is skewed. You've never liked Earth, you've never liked anyone at this table, and yet here you are, begging me to help you put it all back together. Do you see how I'm not following this? I just got to know," Aziraphale gripped the table "What makes this any different from what God has previously said? Why are you concerned?" Gabriel looked down. He wanted to lie, to not go into detail about how actually came around to liking something again. He didn't want to seem sappy for Raphael or for his own demons but if Aziraphale wanted proof, he'd give him it. Anything. But he knew that he was still the hypocrite. The fiend of fiends, of curst much worse than what he would ever show off. He would be lying. So he didn't need to lie.

"I don't care. It's my duty." He slammed his fits down onto the table. The anger in him fritzed throw the wood. Gabriel didn't need to lie. He didn't need to hold back like he so used to. "It must go on. Not for my sake, or God's, but for the people. Faith has nothing to do with it. It must go on." Thunder clashed from outside the restaurant. If Gabriel was in his ethereal form he probably would have scorched the building and everyone inside.

Silence fell upon the table. Aziraphale never finished his Chicken parmesan. Crowley sat low in his chair, letting Gabriel's power sink in, and Sandalaphon placed a hand on Gabriel's shoulder to bring him back down to his cooperation.

"I'll help." Aziraphale said finally, "We'll help you." He gestured towards Crowley and the demon nodded weakly back at him.


	11. Frozen Broccoli

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel is pretty much mush after Aziraphale beat his ass to a pulp. The Demon dog helps him through the pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've realized that I say 'Ya'll' a lot. I am not apologizing for it, I am from the Yee-haw state, and I will be putting in more southern stuff into my posts because I interpreted the disposable demon as a Texan so yeah he's a cowboy. In my mind, all the everyone has a country accent. Don't read too much into that, that's just how I be.

Gabriel was done sitting down for a long time. His bones ached, His face hurt, Gabriel was a mess through and through. He thought that if God owed him anything, it would be the strength to squash these earthly pains his corporation was rattled with. But, as the Black dog made him sit down on a cheetah-print love seat in his den Gabriel couldn't help but consider God to owe him even more. His back's nerves shot as he reclined into the chair and the demon pressed a hand underneath him to prevent the Archangel from straightening up.

"What happened to you, baby? You look like you got hit by a train." The demon dog proclaimed. Gabriel let himself sink into the cushion of the Black dog's embrace and he closed his eyes. The Angel of revelation did want to tell him. The demon noticed his skewed face and used the hand that wasn't stabilizing Gabriel to brush the hair away from his face. "Baby, you're hurt. What happened?"

"I really don't want to talk about it right now," Gabriel said, feeling the Black Dog's form leaving his side and his spine betraying him. The archangel let out a muffled scream as the vertebrae in his back and his ribs worked in congress to kill him. He never felt pain like this before. Gabriel had always taken great care of his corporation, he worked out, he (started) to feed it regularly, and now the instrument he so delicately tuned was causing him to shut down. It would be an understatement to say that he didn't feel well. 

Sooner than later, the Black Dog returned to him with a bag of frozen broccoli, a pillow, and a blanket and began to fix Gabriel up. The demon placed the broccoli onto the archangel's chest to stop the swelling the ribs caused as the rubbed at his skin, and maneuvered the pillow so it held Gabriel in place. After checking and double-checking the angel of revelation to see if he was comfortable, the Black dog carefully draped the blanket over him and the angel, snuggling up into his side.

"Fine, don't tell me what happened. If it feeds your pride, I'm all for it. I can't really do anything besides what I've already done. Demons aren't really known for there healing abilities, that your job is'n'it?" The black dog wrapped an arm around Gabriel's broken frame and pulled him close. Gabriel didn't feel quite content, but he felt better now that his best friend was here. He didn't know what it was, but his heart, beaten as it was, did a little summersault. 

"Right, and look where it's got me. I can barely move to heal myself." All the anger that possessed Gabriel from the dinner and slipped out and he was more hallow now without it. He tried to raise his hand so he could return the other's embrace but it felt numb. The Archangel would have never imagined that Aziraphale would do this to him. He tried to despise the angel for assaulting him with such brutality, but, Gabriel thought, if he was in the angel's shoes he probably would have done the same thing. "I deserve this. I've been a bad person."

"Maybe you did, but that's not gonna make me feel any more comfortable with it. You know I care, right?" Gabriel couldn't see him with his eyes shut but he could sense the hesitation in the demon's voice.

"I know you do." the archangel responded. The demon rubbed a circle into his shoulder and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Damn right, I do." The Black dog stated proudly, pepper his face even more. If Gabriel's face wasn't already red from his nerves, it was scarlet by now. "I do. I care for you so so so much. Seeing you, disheveled, and beaten to an inch of your life really spells that out. I would have kicked your ass myself if it would have proved to me that I-" his voice went quiet as it caught in his throat. Gabriel opened his eyes to scan the demon's face. "Well, I suppose that's for another time. Get some rest, baby, I'll be right'ere." The demon gently pressed Gabriel face into his neck as he cradled him lovely in his arms. Gabriel sighed into him and tried to will his hands to move again. 

They sat like that for a while, together, a little cold from the broccoli but their body heat managed to fight that off quite well. Gabriel thought he might as well just die right there. The world was ending, he hated himself, and the only person that seemed to love him was conveniently right by his side. He couldn't wish for better. 

"I think I care about you, too." Said the Archangel into the demon's skin. The Black dog huffed and readjusted himself so he could get a better look at Gabriel. "And, I'm not just saying that because you're helping me out right now. I've cared... for a while now." The demon's eyes softened at his words. Gabriel was hit by a revelation. "I've cared for you ever since you asked me for wine in the Trial room."

"Gabriel..." The demon said breathlessly. Gabriel couldn't help but compare the sound to how Aziraphale said 'Crowley'. It made him cringe. He didn't want to compare his relationship to the traitor's but he realized he was doing it unconsciously this entire time. Gabriel saw a lot of Raphael in the dog demon, but he wasn't him. The archangel had to remind himself that sometimes. The Black Dog wasn't a replacement. "Gabriel, I-" The demon started off, "I know." then he took his hand and laced it into Gabriel, bringing it up to his face so he could kiss every individual knuckle. "I know you do, baby, don't pain yourself saying it."

Then the demon put two and two together and his eyes went wide.

"You didn't get beat up because of me, now did ya? Cause if Micheal or Sandal-man laid even a finger on you I'm gonna tear them apart."

"No," Gabriel responded to him quickly, "No, they didn't do anything. It was all my fault. I told you I was a bad -" His chest ached and he let out a whimper, "-I told you I was a bad man." The black dog brought himself out of the embrace to get him another pillow for more support. Gabriel missed his touch. "I was mean to this Angel, you know the one, and today I had to meet him again."

"Aziraphale? Why would you have to talk to him?" The dog pushed a Buc-ee's throw into the Archangel side. 

"If I tell you, you got to promise me you won't tell anybody else." Gabriel was finally able to move his hand, and he pressed it into the demon's chest. The Black dog wrapped the hand around his own.

"I promise."

"God spoke again and head office needed it translated, Aziraphale is the only one we know who would might have an idea what she was saying. I was sent in cause I've been a goof." He looked up at the demon expectingly and the demon knew what he meant.

"You're a goof for hanging with me, I see. Let me just-" The Black Dog scooched away, and Gabriel gasped at the lack of contact. "-stop bothering ya."

"No," Gabriel whined, smiling, "Come back here and bother me. These vegetables are cold." The Demon grinned back at him and with a running start, jumped back onto the love seat. Gabriel groaned at the sudden movement but ended up laughing instead. "You wouldn't leave me, I'm the most interesting person you know." The demon pinned his hands down onto the couch and passionately kissed up his jaw before connecting with his lips. Gabriel leaned into him as much as his body could manage to return the kiss, but his back got the better of him and the Archangel hissed in pain. The black dog smiled.

"Ya, so you've been told." The black dog dropped beside him and began cradling the archangel again. "You be a goof for me. That's music to my ears, you know."

"I'd be a goof for you," Gabriel repeated, trying to reassure himself more than the Black dog that he deserved that title.

"You're a sweetheart from the ground up. Even if your bones are poking out and you back is in a twister, you're still hot to me. I don't care whatever, happens to us, I'll always lo-" The demon took his eyes off Gabriel. The archangel didn't know if he was preparing to lie to him or just unnerved, but when the demon drew away from him, he felt his heart pain him more than his demolished corporation. Hesitantly, Gabriel raised his shaking hand to the demon's face, delicately turning his gaze back to the archangel. The Black dog looked scared so Gabriel did what he knew best: displaying the facts.

"I love you, too." Gabriel whispered to the frightened form. The archangel smoothed his thumb over the demon's lips and attached his hand to the other's jaw so that they could level with each other. The demon went from zero to sixty; scared and detached to smiling and all over him. 

"I love -." The demon stuttered between breaths, "I LOAVE-" He couldn't get it out. "Man, I can't really love something as a demon. It's in my code. But I _lOvE yOu ,_ Gabriel. It hurts me that I can't say it proudly." 

Gabriel looked at him, confused, but at the very least content. He rolled his eyes and gave him a grin, "And you're nothing but prideful," Then pulled the Black Dog's face down to his and connected them again. Sooner than later, the pain gripped his being and he fell unconscious. 


	12. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel has to get back to Hevean but plot happens and he can't

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DRAMA!!!! Sorry boys but we got to have some more else I'm going to drown Ya'll in fluff. And Gabriel/Crowley

Everything was just honkey dory for the moment, Gabriel couldn't think of it any other way. Here he was, sleeping, for the first time in his existence, the apocalyptical texts of Enoch weren't his problem anymore, and he had this lovely cooling feeling in his back as he used his supernatural angelic powers to heal himself. Much to the Demon dog's dismay, Gabriel had to leave. He wanted to cherish there time together but he had a job to do. He loved him. He did, but he couldn't risk his heavenly placement with his own satanic wants. It was cruel of him to leave, especially without going out for a drink or two like they usually did, but he went anyway, promising to do more next time they saw each other. If they saw each other again. If Heaven sent him on suicide missions just because he hung out with a demon, it wouldn't be that much of a stretch to think they'd do more if they found out how serious the relationship was. Hopefully, they would never know, thought Gabriel as he climbed up the heavenly escalator to the big office in the sky. 

He was let off somewhere between the holy abode and God's kingdom and that was when Gabriel found out he was lost. He looked to an occult map on the wall that had been there for wayward souls looking for purgatory, making the educated guess that it wouldn't help him. If Gabriel was strong enough, he'd just fly up, get a good view of where he was, and then estimate from there where the office building was, but he was still not in the best shape, so he slouched against the wall and tried to will the directions into his brain. It didn't help but it gave the Archangel hope. By some miracle, seraphim came up to him and gave him direction. 

"Life is scary, you might not be ready to die, but that's just fate." the seraphim uttered to him as he pointed down the heavenly halls. Gabriel grimaced in fear.

"You have me mistaken, I'm not dead. I'm the Archangel Gabriel." Gabriel tried to assure the angel that he was still alive, waving his hands around and folding them in front of him. The seraphim gave him a tight frown and looked him up and down before shrugging and continuing his speech.

"Death also makes you delirious, it's okay to not accept it, that is until you're judged." The seraphim looked towards a hall darker than the others and gave the archangel a little shove in that direction. 

"I'm not dead." Gabriel barred his teeth at the angel and pushed him back. "I'm not going over there, I'm going to head office. Don't you dare touch me." The seraphim rolled his eyes.

"I'd like to see some I.D. then." Gabriel was flabbergasted, he had never had to show Identification that he was himself. He reached into his back pocket and felt nothing. Odd. He reached into his coat pocket and felt nothing there too. Oh crap, he thought. He must have dropped it when he was fighting Aziraphale in the Ritz. Any shmuck or joe could've had his angelic identification by now. At the sight of no I.D. presented, the seraphim gave him a smirk. "No idea, huh? Well, if you're sure this is a mistake, I think you should go to customer service," The angel pointed at a pretty run-down establishment near the dark hall. Gabriel didn't know what to think, so he gave him a scared nod and made his way towards the help desk. 

There was only one person there, Uriel. The archangel beamed at the sight of his friend.

"Uriel! Look at ya, I was so worried there for a second. I left my I.D. in the Ritz, I got to get into the office today else Michael is gonna have my hide." Gabriel stated in an excited fit. Uriel just stared at him confused.

"Gabriel? Wait, why are you here? You can't die, this is probably a mistake."

"I know, right? Please," Gabriel begged, "Get me out of here." Uriel looked down at this big book of knowledge she had in her hands. As the angel of confirmation, surely she had the answers Gabriel needed. Her faced twisted into a grimace and the angel of revelations hopes dropped. "Please, tell me there's something in there that gets me out."

"I'm sorry Gabriel, but it appears you lost your cooperation last night at 10:54. Your body, the thing your inhabiting, it's dead meat. You're going to have to file for an appeal before you can go any further down the hall." Uriel stated grimly. Gabriel let out a gasp.

"There must be another way I can get to work. Can't I just go omnipotent and travel through the lights or something?"

"You could do that, but you're still going to need a cooperation if you are going to work. Can't have you reeking divinities all over the paper. Besides, omnipotent beings aren't the easiest thing to commune with, if you show up as an eldritch horror to a meeting I pretty sure Michael would smite you." Gabriel considered that for a moment, and though it wasn't the worse thing to be smited (after all the things he's done he partially believed he deserved it), he had to look presentable. He thought about it for a bit. 

"If I go through the courts, it'll take me forever to get a human. Can I go possess one and come back?" Gabriel said hesitantly.

"You could do that too." Uriel grimaced. "You could do that. OR -" she swiveled around in her holy office chair and picked up a page of heavenly printing paper before jamming it into a regular printer. They could never bless some of the newer technology. She looked back at him with a sharp glint in her gold, Gabriel was scared for what she had to say, "OR - you could finish your mission on Earth in your final form and get rewarded a cooperation like a prophet. Probate court normally gives you ninety days but if you're quick enough, I'm sure they could make a compromise."

"So, I got to go back down there," Gabriel gestured crazy to the floor, "and I got to figure out this stupid saying before I can go to my meeting? But, my meeting is tomorrow. I can't deconstruct God's plan in a day."

"I know. It's absolutely insane, but that's the only way I can think you can keep a cooperation without going through, well, that." She pointed down the dark hall and Gabriel gulped audibly. She printed off a fresh I.D. for Gabriel and handed it to him. "That will get you downstairs, but heed my caution Gabriel, if you don't complete the mission quickly, you will be forced to appeal through probate court, which means you will have to be judged if you are still worthy of cooperation. I don't know what you're up to with your 'friends' but I think that should scare you."

"Hey," Gabriel found himself speaking defensively," Just because he's a bad guy doesn't mean he's bad guy."

"Whatever, Satan," Uriel said jokingly, but it hurt Gabriel a bit. "Do what you need to do. I'm here if you need confirmation, but you might need help from... other sources."

"I know what you mean." Gabriel didn't know what she meant but he played along anyway. He was still stunned that he was dead. He was the voice of god, the great Angel of Revelation, why did he die? Why would God allow that? "I'll get started on it right away." The Archangel walked back to the escalator and step on the one going down.

"I believe in you, Gabriel!!" Uriel shouted reassurance from her counter. Gabriel gave her a wave and a small smile. He needed all the luck he could get. When he got to the bottom of the escalator he saw a familiar face. His hair, his skin, the way that he sauntered up to him, all woke the Archangel up from his fear and throw him into another world.

"Crowley?" Gabriel stammered as the redhead dragged him out of the center of the mall and into a space between the stores. "Please, don't beat me up like Aziraphale did. I'm already dead." he bargained with the demon. Crowley shot him a confused look.

"What? I don't care what Zira did to ya, you should worry about what I'm going to do to your neck." He whispered into the archangel's ear before planting a hickey onto his neck. Gabriel moaned at the sudden sensation.

"Don't. Stop that." Gabriel shouted. To be honest he was still stunned by Crowley's sudden appearance to be apprehensive to his touch. He had to will his hand up to push the demon away. Crowley shot him another confused look. "Why are you doing this?"

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Was all the demon said as he continued his assault on Gabriel. The Archangel would be lying if he said he didn't want this. He missed Raphael forever since Michael sent him away. There was a big emotional hole were Raphael had once been and the angel of revelation had been trying to fill it with his own personal demon. Except it was never like the real thing. It was the dog's hands on him, not Raphael's. It was his lips, not Raphael's. Having him on him, now, felt a little bit like a miracle. Like God had granted him a guilty pleasure. The malevolent Lord had blessed him with something to pain him and make him hurt, but he'd like it. Crowley licked a line up his throat until he found Gabriel mouth and kissed him roughly. The Archangel indulged him a little before letting go and giving the demon a stern look. 

"Stop that." He pushed Crowley off him again. "I'm over you. This is wrong. You like Aziraphale. I like my dog." Crowley retreated.

"You like dogs? Never took you for one of those." Gabriel rolled his eyes and fixed his holy robes.

"I don't know what you mean." 

"Whatever, man, just would have come to you as a German shepherd or something if I knew you blew up that pipe." Crowley did a little twirl on the balls of his feet before bouncing away. Gabriel tried his best to follow him. "I followed you here, BTW, sensed, what was it, (your spirit?) wandering around, thought I'd pop into your life before you die."

"I am dead, didn't you hear me? Aziraphale kicked the shit out of me!" Gabriel barked back at him.

"That's my boy," Crowley said smiling. "I'm also still mad at you for all this," The demon gestured to everything around them. Gabriel got the gist. "You, making fun of my angel, I should kill you again."

"You know," Gabriel stopped the demon, "People usually don't make out when they're angry."

"Oh, really? That's news." Crowley stated sarcastically, pushing the pull door. They both gave it a look and Crowley finally pulled the door out and offered the Archangel to go before him. "You know what else is news? That's never going to happen again, so don't keep your hopes up." Gabriel spotted the elaborate looking car that was outside of Aziraphale shop all that time ago and narrowed his eyes.

"Wasn't hoping for it. I have a boyfriend, he's really something too."

"Oh, really? Sandalaphon final get you to suck his dick?"

"What? **NO**. NO, no. My boyfriend is the Black dog. You know, the Chupacabra?" Gabriel admitted proudly. It was something actually admitting to his love for the demon dog. Crowley clenched his chest and bleated out a laugh.

"YOU LIKE _THAT_ DOG. AAAH. The disposable demon at Aziraphale's trial?" He chuckled, loudly opening up the driver side door. Gabriel walked around to the other side, a little taken back by Crowley's questions.

"Well," the archangel nodded his head, "Yeah."

"Ten bucks says your a paraphiliac." Crowley croaked.

"I **still** don't know what you mean." Gabriel shot back at him sitting down on the passenger side. 

"You will." Was all the demon said as reversed the car and made his way down the street. It was silence as he drove. Gabriel caught himself staring at Crowley, admiring him really. He never had the chance to look at him and remember his face so he took his time now. He noticed the short-cropped hair. Didn't like it, but people change he supposed. Gabriel also noticed his tattoo. A black snake curled around were Crowley's hair met his jaw. "Stop staring at me, you're hideous."

"What? I'm not staring at you." Gabriel lied. The archangel was good at lying, better than ever, but it wasn't something that could skirt a demon. Crowley raised an eyebrow over his darkened shades.

"Oh, well, if you were, let's just say _'staring at my face'_ , it's my namesake. It's what Hell named me after. I didn't get a say in it."

"Crowley?" Gabriel had to think about it for a second but after a while, it clicked. "You hate '- _ley_ '." He had to construct it a bit further before he fully understood. "Oh..."

"Yeah, Oh, you dimwit. I'm constantly punished for saying that. Do you know what Crowley means? _'Hunch Back_ '. It's so boring. Bet you're also going to get a stupid name once you fall too."

"Why would you say that? I'm fucking white bread. Sour cream. I pure as fuck." said the archangel, little bit more pride in his voice than he would have wanted. Crowley's eyebrows stayed raised.

"Ten bucks says your not a virgin anymore."

"I DON'T HAVE MONEY! WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT?." Gabriel exploded. The demon shrunk into the leather seat. "Okay, maybe I'm not a virgin, who cares. I'm still pure. More than you and Aziraphale combined."

"Yeah, cause we're just having **FURIOUS** sex every night," Crowley said. It was Gabriel's turn to raise his eyebrows. He surprised he caught that, knowing the limited sarcasm he did.

"You're not?" Gabriel responded innocently. Crowley took his eyes off the road to give Gabriel a _what-the-fuck-do-you-think_ face before sending him a cocky grin and continuing to speed. Maybe Gabriel was just dim after all.


	13. Possession problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel needs a new corporation that's not a dead priest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think that Gabriel would, at first, take the high road and earn his corporation like a Prophet, so here's Gabriel trying to possess Madame Tracy and paying for it. Bad boy

Gabriel looked out onto the crowd of patrons in A.Z. Fell Bookstore and carefully choose one of them. He kept the person's face in his head and willed himself inside there body. It was a relatively easy process to possess a person, they didn't have most of the funky bits that the occult or ethereal had and never fought back. However, that made possessing them a very bad moral argument. It wasn't right to semi-permanently remove their soul and fill it in with your own. So, Gabriel being Gabriel, he tried to weigh the matter before doing it. However, as God would have it, Crowley's smile and persuasive words had him ditching the moral high ground and possessing a person anyway. 

"That's not a bad look," Crowley stated smugly. "But, I would've preferred that dude in the science-fiction section. Nerds are so boring, it's right up your ally." Gabriel didn't care if he liked it or not. The body would fulfill its purpose and then he could get his true corporation tomorrow in court. It was also better than walking around like a dead priest. The archangel tried moving his hands and noticed that he wasn't used to the elderly lady's fingers. The skin bunched up around the knuckles and made Gabriel vain as all get out. He stashed the ancient appendages into his pockets before moving into the back room and sitting down in front of a thick, walnut table. 

"Great. Madame Tracy came by for tea this afternoon, not to be your meat suit." Aziraphale growled at him from the other side, face peeking over a selection of Jewish dooms-day text. Gabriel showed him his hands to play up his defense. 

"- _I'm not taking any more pleasure in possessing her than what you're going to have looking at her ugly mug for the next 24 hours. Besides, he tempted me to do it -._ " The archangel pointed at the demon and the angel shrugged him off. 

"Yeah, he tempts everybody, that's his job." Aziraphale stuck his nose back into his literature and Crowley came up behind him, wrapping his hands around the knobs of the chair the angel sat in. Gabriel felt bad. Bad for possessing whoever this old woman was, Bad for indulging the demon (both here and at the mall), and especially bad for smiling at the demon for showing Aziraphale affection. It wasn't a big grin, but it was enough for the angel to look up and grimace at him, "What?" Gabriel gestured at the two of them sarcastically.

"You two. Cute." He gave them a thumbs up, "I always knew you two were an item." Why would I say that? Gabriel thought. That's not what I was going to say. Aziraphale's eyes doughed up and he gave Gabriel a warm smile. 

"Madame Tracy! Lovely to see you. Sorry, you got possessed again. I must take you out some time."

"Oh," Gabriel's mouth moved without his permission. "That's alright, dear. I don't mind, jjuss- _why is this_ -shut up, and let me speak, fiend!" Madame Tracy smacked her own hand and Gabriel flinched. "It's alright, please let me speak, just fuck him up later, will ya? That'd be great, dear. It's my body - ' _It'S mY bODy'_ \- OH," The elderly women shot up from the chair, flabbergasted at the gall this man had. "OH, I can hex you, you know? I sense you're in highwater, my friend, and boy would a good cursing would seal the deal for that, ay?" Gabriel didn't understand. He was possessing her. Humans had no say in possession. Why was she controlling him? The archangel was a steaming hot-pot of anger and he pushed the old woman to the ground, convulsing. Aziraphale got up in a panic and came to Madame Tracy's aid. 

"Calm yourself, Gabriel, you're causing the poor women to seize!" Aziraphale slapped the Archangel and the combined spirits stared at him in shock.

"- _WHy WoUlD yOu Do ThAt_?-" the pair spat in unison. The old woman got up off the floor and brushed her coat. " _\- I'M MadAMe TrACy, LoOk At mE, CrUsTY aNd CrOSS -_ " Gabriel could sense his being now ingulfing the other and his anger vented out of him. "- _Don't you dare hex me, you old hag. You are my vessel into judgment. You will be submissive to my power_. -" The archangel spewed divinities and a pale light glistened out of Madame Tracy's eyes. Aziraphale placed a hand on his arm to steady the corporation. 

"Shut up, Gabriel, she's physic. And, you're not going back to Heaven till we figure this out." It was Gabriel's turn to be shocked.

" _\- What? I Got to go. Micheal will take my place if I don't do my job.-_ " Aziraphale gave him a look and Gabriel continued." - _Well, I know you don't care, but I do. Uriel said I could possess someone then go back and get judged the same day. I need to do that. I got to go._ -" Gabriel realized he was repeating himself but he felt he was in the right. He needed to do it. He couldn't exist as an old woman, he had to be Gabriel. 

"No, you're not." Aziraphale fought back, "You're in this shit with us, you got to figure it out with us too." He dropped all his warmth and niceness for a more serious persona, placing his hands on Gabriel's form's shoulders and sat him down forcefully. "Now, I have Enoch right here, and I see what you and Micheal have gone on about but I don't know what you see in it. It's cryptic, sure, but it's nothing I would call apocalyptic." Gabriel had to think about his words. The recent armageddon-that-wasn't shocked Heaven, and the angels weren't on edge about it happening again, but the possibility, never the less persisted. The Archangel was still having a hard time getting his head around Aziraphale's trial and everything after that. The bridge between Heaven and Hell. The underlying hate for the other side. The Black Dog. The trial had changed everything, everything was up for grabs. It wasn't a stretch to consider that out of all this chaos would end soon and in a burning heap of rubble. 

" _\- It has to be. Everything has changed, why would God not want to restart? -_ " Gabriel spoke. It couldn't be any other possible thing. Crowley finally moved.

"As I said, What if what you were doing was the bad thing and you're totally negating the good this entire time?"

" - _When did you say that?_ \- " Gabriel asked. 

"Where have you been?" Crowley barked back at him, sauntering away into the kitchenette for some coffee." Do you feel like the world's going to explode or do you feel like you ought to feel like the world's going to explode?" 

Holy crap. Could that be? Could he just have wanted an apocalypse?

"That's a great question, Crowley." Aziraphale followed him into the other room and left Gabriel/Madame Tracy in the back. His mind was imploding. He crossed his hands together on the counter and looked down at them in contemplation. Did he see an end to all this? Did he never think the good in his life was going to last? All of it swept into Gabriel's mind and made him ashamed to be himself. He knew he cracked under pressure. However, he couldn't have foreseen his blundering to have gone as far as to project itself. It made him scared. What other things could he have misinterpreted just because he was panicking? The pair came out of the kitchen to see Gabriel a mess on the table. Aziraphale brought him tea.

" - _if it's not going to explode then what do I have to look forward too? I can't be sure about it anymore. I want it to end, this can't last, I can't last like this._ -" Madam Tracy let out a sob and patted her own back. "I know how you feel, dear, I do. Sometimes I feel like you can't have a good thing for a long time, but you got to work through that paranoia, the fear of the unknown. Deary, you do." Gabriel was still saddened by the revelation inside him but connected his hand with Madam Tracy's. It was soothing knowing that someone out there understood. Madam Tracy spoke, "If I'd knew what all this pain inside you was all about I wouldn't have said I'd hex you. Makes me feel bad." Aziraphale stared at the conglomeration in awkward silence, putting Gabriel's tea on the table next to him before skittering back to his and Crowley's side of the table. 

Out of the silence, the angel spoke, "So, now that we know we're not in immediate danger, let's talk about something else, shall we?... I heard you've got yourself a 'friend'." Gabriel looked up at him and smiled weakly at the thought of the Black dog and obliged him. 

" _\- Yeah,-_ " The archangel started, " _\- Yeah, I'm trying to move on from the destruction. Got me a friend, man. Crazy shit. Never thought I'd get to keep him, blessing to my life. I died in front of him, he never knew, I didn't know either, but I guess that's a personal problem. God, I did I ever say that I'd die for him? Cause I would. Crazy shit, indeed. -"_

"It's a dog." Crowley smiled at Aziraphale. 

" _-Not just any dog, my dog. I care for him so much. I can't see a world with him but I can't live without him either.-_ " Gabriel says with sheer love for the black dog.

"I know how you feel," Aziraphale stated shyly, sensing the love in the air.

" _\- I know and I can never forgive you for that, but I'm a changed man, right? -_ " Gabriel wanted to bottle up all the things he's saying but something mean slipped out and he couldn't take it back. The Angel shrugged. 

"You are?" Aziraphale murmured underneath his breath, taking a sip of his hot tea and looking back to Enoch. " Great. Rosy."

"Rosy." Crowley agrees.

" _\- Rosy... -_ " Gabriel/Madam Tracy nodded. Madam Tracy continued to trace circles onto her back and the joke went over Gabriel's head. A ray of light from the window slashed its way through the dusty dark of the bookstore and illuminated one of the many books from around the shop. The archangel-person-hybrid eyed the literature curiously. It was a memoir, 'A Bag of Marbles' by Joseph Joffo. The gears in Gabriel's mind began to kick into shape. " _\- Hold up,-_ " He pointed to the book and the angel followed his gaze, " _Joesph... He's in the Bible, Right?... He's after Jesus. The book of luke makes Jesus the forty-ninth (7x7) generation, so where does Joesph belong on that ladder? -_ "

"I think I know this one," Crowley spoke from his side of the table, "He's forty-two; The number of the universe. Put that in a movie or something."

"No," Aziraphale responded, "No, your right, Joseph was the forty-second but there is two. One before Jesus in Genisis and one after, Which one?"

" _-After.-"_

"Alright, which number was Jesus? He's you're ex, Crowley." Aziraphale pulled out his Bible and flipped to the book of Luke. Crowley rolled his eyes. Gabriel was grossed out. He couldn't get the thought process behind wanting to fuck the savior, but Crowley was a demon, maybe he had nothing better to do. 

"Let me look it up." Crowley pulled out his iPhone, everyone eyed him in disbelief. Why didn't he pull that out sooner? Gabriel would never understand. "Fouty-nine. That makes the Joesph number two... seventy. He's generation seventy." Gabriel went to pull the memoir out from the cluster of books. 

"- _Bind them fast for seventy generations in the valleys of Earth, till the day of their judgment... Did you guys ever meet Joesph in a valley, preferably during your trial?_ \- " Crowley and Aziraphale exchanged a look. The demon jumped over the table and took the book out of the Archangel's hands. " _\- I don't think I met a Joesph after Jesus' Dad. -_ ".

The demon and the previous champion of Heaven on Earth spoke in unison.

"The Ice-cream man." Aziraphale cleared his throat and Crowley stared between them. 

"The Ice-cream man's name is Joesph. We got to find him."

\-----

"Hi, Joesph." Aziraphale started at the icecream man. "I know you know something." The three of them, Gabriel, Crowley, and Aziraphale, stood on the customer's side of the ice cream trolley. Joesph the icecream man deliberated the angel's words on the other. Hands wrapped around a strawberry popsicle he was about to give to him. However, with Aziraphale's not so subtle threat, he withdrew into himself with the sweet treat.

"Pardon?"

Aziraphale narrowed his eyes. Gabriel watched with utmost excitement. All they had to do was coerce _the_ Joesph into submitting what it was he was attached to. It was a simple task, in theory, but the Archangel got the inkling that it might be harder than they first took. "Joe, can I call you Joe? After all these years of you serving me and my friend here the best sweets on this side of the pond, I think you've finally lost your bluff." Aziraphale countered.

"I haven't an idea what you're on about, Mr.Fell. It this because I gave your friend there the strawberry pop last time? I knew something was up, I knew it. You're the one who likes fruit. He's the vanilla guy."

"Ah... Yes, that was a day wasn't it?" Aziraphale looked to Crowley and winked. "But, no, that's not the problem. Tell me, is there something you're awfully fond of? Besides frozen foods."

"Ay, that be my customers. I knew something was up. I'd go through hell before I let something happen to my regulars. You guys are my blood and ice cream is my soul, without you all I'd be nothing. Does your new friend want anything?" Joesph looked towards Madame Tracy/Gabriel with glee in his eyes. "Always glad for new customers too, though, they're few and far between nowadays." Gabriel gave him a fake smile and dismissed him with a wave. He gathered his various voices into one gathered hum. 

"No, sir, I can't handle milk." 

"We got yogurt too."

"They got yogurt," Gabriel snickered under his breath." You know what, get me chocolate then. Spice up the evening with lactose-free me with a thicker, creamier, dairy product." The archangel was teetering over the edge of annoyance, and he decided to indulge it. What better way to start out an interrogation than with digestive distress. Joesph gave Aziraphale his strawberry and looked into his trolley for the chocolate yogurt with a smile. Gabriel couldn't understand how a person could derive happiness from something so mundane as a business. Getting caught up in the customers, humoring yourself with icecream jokes all day, and the dairy. The archangel didn't understand the service industry enough to see past the superficial details of the trade. What gratification did it bring? Surely, this couldn't be what God thought was bond to the seventieth generation, could it? Joesph handed him a chocolate popsicle and Gabriel took it into his own, giving the treat a look as he figured he probably shouldn't eat it. 

"Say, Joesph, there has to be something you're more attached to than, well, us," Crowley spoke up with his vanilla cone." Is there something you're not telling us."

"That's the truth, lad. Life is bland if you can't love the small things. I know it's nothing extravagant, like a loving wife, or better yet, money beyond comprehension, but you guys, like it or not, are what I love the most." Joesph gave them all a warm smile and the angel mimicked his softness. 

"I see." Said Aziraphale nodding. He looked to his pop and his smile fell into a frown. "I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry for the intrusion." He turned around to face his posse. " Well, we better make ourselves scarce then. See you some other time Joe."

"See you around, Mr.Fell." The three of them walked till they were out of earshot of Joesph. 

"That can't be it." Gabriel was the first to crack. "Why would that be it? Icecream is not going to lead the world into an abyss of fire, maybe my gut, sure, but I can't see how that would be it."

"You're right. It's got to be something else." Aziraphale stated. He had ditched his strawberry popsicle into a trash bin and Gabriel lanked over to do the same. Gabriel thought to himself as he rested his frozen yogurt in the garbage. Why? It was all he could think about. A giant big collective 'Why' for everything that God had spoken. It seemed rather unfortunate to be the angel of revelations and know nothing about whats going on. He eyed the angel, slack jaw at his concentration. If there was something the ice cream man was hiding, there was only one way to find out. Gabriel shifted in his coat until he felt the vague form of a book. He put his hands into his pockets and retrieved the literature. Aziraphale snapped out of his mind. "What's that?" Crowley bunched up behind the angel for protection.

"Gideon Bible, I suppose." He smoothed over the cover with a delicate touch. "Doesn't feel the least bit holy, but it should work for an interrogation." Gabriel extended the book towards Aziraphale who took it hesitantly, remembering what the Bible had done to him before. 

"This is great, but not very accurate. We must get him to say the words and think about the one specific lie he's been telling, or else he'll be spilling useless truths like I was." Aziraphale stated. Gabriel got a chuckle out at the angel's expense.

"Still no kids yet?" The Archangel teased. Aziraphale blushed in anger and look to Crowley who was confused."I also remember the loop you put us through trying to figure out your truths. We can't have that again. There just isn't time for me."

Aziraphale changed the subject, "How are we even going to make him say the words?".

"I know," Crowley said with a mouth full of vanilla. "N'thing I haven't done before. Y'all got a marker or a pen?"

Aziraphale dug into his suit and Gabriel checked Madame Tracy's purse. He found a blue pen in her checkbook and tossed it to the demon. 

"Dandy." was all Crowley had to say about that as he began to scribble the text onto the bible's preface. 

"You can't deface a holy text, that's like a capital sin."

"Great."

Crowley approached the icecream man. Gabriel and Aziraphale waited far enough from the scene to see it but not to close to intervene with the tempter's work. The demon scooched his way around the trolley till he hit Joesph who was packing up for the night. The icecream gave him the familiar smile he only gave his regulars.

"Sir, can you read this for me? I can't read." Crowley gestured towards his blackened glasses as they were signs that he was blind. 

"Sure." Joesph accepted. Crowley lifted the Gideon Bible towards the ice cream man and let him take it. Oh, that wasn't so difficult, Gabriel thought from afar. "It says: _I swear by Almighty God, to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."_ Suddenly a light began to spill out of the text. Collums of the beaming heaven split the thick night and covered the park in a heavenly hue. Gabriel and Aziraphale (one quicker than the other) ran over to Crowley to hear the truths. However, Joesph wasn't speaking, he held his heart and began to scream something unholy. Wings tore out from underneath his uniform. Bat wings. Joesph began to dissolve into the pavement. Crowley desperately scooped at the melting form to reorganize him. 

"FUCK." Crowley and Aziraphale said in unison. The angel crouched next to the disincorporated mass of goo and picked out the bible from the mess, and tossed it into the bin. Gabriel was too full of shock and confusion to comprehend what had happened. 

"WHAT HAPPENED?! THAT SHOULD HAVE WORKED! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?" The archangel confessed his confusion. He couldn't stop looking at the man-puddle on the concrete. The mess snaked into the creases in the walkway and made Gabriel want to vomit. 

"He was a demon. I should've known. Can't perform anything holy on a demon. They have a tendency to melt." Crowley stated, touching what would have been Joesph's chest. Gabriel couldn't put his finger on it, but this made him even more queasy. He gagged into his fist and leaned against the bin. "Tell me if I've been lied to, but I thought Hell was supposed to leave _our_ territory alone?" Crowley took his eyes off of the corpse to give Aziraphale a puzzled look. 

"They probably saw the heavenly influence _you_ brought into _my_ shop." Aziraphale accused Crowley, "This is heavens problem. Why are we even helping him? Cause he's going to fall? I don't give two shits if Gabriel goes to hell if we still get to keep our constitution. It's you and me. Me and you. We've gone and messed it all up again. It must seem to Hell that we've sided with Heaven and now we're never going to get a rest and we're never going to live like we were." Crowley stood up.

"Why are you blaming me? If I can recall you're the one who excepted the deal with Gabriel. You picked heaven's side. What am I doing here anyway?" Crowley barked at Aziraphale as he sauntered away angrily. "I'm going home, where I'm needed. Ring me and I'll superglue all your books together." He looked back at the pair before huffing and continuing his trek towards the Bentley. Gabriel and Aziraphale were left there in the dark. The Archangel felt guilty as all get out. He didn't want this to be his fault, but despite who Crowley and Aziraphale blamed, everyone knew what was the truth. The angel sunk down onto a bench and put his face into his hands. Gabriel didn't sit down beside him. 

"I didn't what this to happen," Gabriel said shyly.

Aziraphale wasn't listening to him, "Dandy. This is just what we need, melodrama. ' _I'll superglue all your books together_ ' what a queen, he'll be the one calling _me_ in the morning."

"I'm sorry, Aziraphale."

"I'm sorry," The angel huffed, "- you think that that is going to fix this? Hills burn, God's going to assure that. We are all going to wear fetters once this blows over. Go get yourself judged. You ruined everything here already, why not a courtroom?" Aziraphale got up as quickly as he sat down and went after the demon.

Gabriel was now alone. In a place he didn't know how to get out of. The night cloaking everything in sight, it ignored the shifting power in the world and covered everything in equal darkness. Gabriel didn't want to admit it, but he wasn't pure. About as pure as the scene around him. If he got judged now, with his history of faults, his hypocrisy, the archangel was sure to fall. The Archangel looked to the sky and found the stars that he and Raphael made. Polaris, the north star, twinkled overhead. It was the brightest thing in the park. Gabriel knew just like his love, he had to follow it. It wasn't his choice but it was ineffable that they would go in the same direction. 

The Archangel kicked up his feet and began walking north. If he was going to be the one to bring Hell back to earth, then he would at least be the one to lead them up. He thought lucifer might be lonely. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer is lonely


	14. Gabriel's Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel gets judged by St.Peter

Probate court. The worse place in the office in the sky. Probate was the pseudo-court system for Heaven that processed and gathered the deceased and judged them on their failings. Just that. Just sins. Gabriel sat in line as the dead began to shuffle there way towards the judge. Normally, an angel wouldn't have to wait in line. Celestial bodies were judged elsewhere;' _For if God spared not the angels that sinned, cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;'_ and it put the situation into perspective for Gabriel, who thought it was better to be in asphodel than in the pit. A slow shuffle fell over the line as one by one people were hauled off the precipice and into Hell or into Heaven. The archangel shivered in his shoes. He was hyped for anything. If he got sent down, so be it, but he hoped that whatever the court chose that he was already thigh-high in the decision as well. That Gabriel was justly put into good or bad. That black and white didn't leave him in the gray area. The archangel wanted them to be certain. 

"Next person," Saint Peter said from his seat on the top of the court. "Who are you?" The saint gave him a funny look, "You're disembodied, why do you possess this poor vessel? Here," Peter snapped his fingers and Gabriel was separated from Madame Tracy. The old women felt her face and got comfortable in her true form. Gabriel, on the other hand, continued to stare at the court. He didn't see anyone he knew on the jury. Maybe was that a good thing. "There. Now, who are you, sir?"

"I'm Gabriel."

"Ah, we have an archangel with that name, do you have religious parents?"

"No... I am the Arch - Architect. I liked the Gabriel statue in, ah, Budapest. I'm insecure about it." Gabriel fixed his shoulders and Madame Tracy sneered at him. Two cherubs came up to her and ushered the physic to the side. 

"Vanity." Peter put up his gabble and the jury agreed 'amen'. 

"No, I didn't -"

"You shall not speak unless spoken to, Gabriel. Please respect the court." Peter shot at him. Gabriel nodded hesitantly. "So, can we see the transcripts for Gabriel the architect?" Another pair of cherubs came up to the saint and placed a holy bound folder onto his excellence's podium. Peter skimmed through it. "I don't see anything about architecture here but I do see that you've abused a position of power for a very long time... This position has to lead to you developing a perceived entitlement to power which, in turn, made you jealous of those who are more in control. A name comes up. Aziraphale?"

"Ya. I mean, Yes," Gabriel admitted. 

"Jealousy." Peter put up his gabble again and the choir of angels around them said 'amen'. "Right, then, we go on. For a while now, I see you've been in a relationship with something demonic?"

"Yes, sir,"

"They are no clarification under this tab. Could you please set the record straight."

"Ah, well -" Gabriel wasn't entirely comfortable spilling his sexuality to the court. " - if you insist... I've been in a relationship with the black dog for about a year now. Normally, I'm attracted to men, but this was something unexpected, and I love him so." The court went quiet. Angels murmured to one another but nothing Gabriel could hear. 

"Aye..." Peter broke the silence, "That be merry and all, but bestiality will not be seen in probate. Strike it!" Suddenly lighting came from the ceiling and stuck the folder. Sparks flew off the podium and the act was burned from his history. Gabriel didn't know if he should be relieved or terrified. " Before Aziraphale, and before this Black dog, I see you were made with a wraith. Is that something I can hold you to?"

"Yes, St.Peter, I've had wraith ever since I can remember." Gabriel recounted his dealings with Micheal and Raphael and the angels in the court began to whisper more. Peter frowned.

"Interesting story. Now, if this was the side effect of how you were raised, then it might be not admissable as a deadly sin, but if not then it's against you."

Gabriel hesitated. He wanted to lie. To tell them what they wanted to hear, something luke-warm and sweet on the ears. However, he doubted if dismissing this one thing so true to his core would make any difference. He had to be going to hell with as much as he had already. "It's not a trait I learned in my youth, sir," ' _I never had a youth_ ' Gabriel said to himself. He wondered what it would be like if he was human. A child. A person. Someone who was already covered in the blood of Christ, sins washed away with repentance. That was something would he never able to do. Gabriel was never redeemed. "But, sir, can I say that despite not learning it as a child, I never got the chance to repent." There was that gray area.

"What does that mean?" Peter quip confused. The jury roared. The saint banged his gabble against the podium. "Order!" He cried, "Order", but the angels didn't stop.

"Let me explain!" Gabriel shouted over the noise." I was always religious. I was always something in the eyes of God. I, I - I took it for granted. Do you know what it feels like to only know one way of life? It was a blessing and I abused it. It's despicable."

"Yes, that _is_ despicable. Luke 8:14 '... _And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection..._ '.You are brought in brilliant and your fallings are symptoms of your ignorance to failure. So perfect are the saints of this world, I should know, I'm the patron saint of longevity. I've seen saints go from holy to villainous throughout there lifetime then pray to me for time to fix themselves. Despicable." St.Peter shook his head disapprovingly. 

"I've heard from a friend, Sandal...Phone, that it's the contains of your character that defines you. I'm a holy man, but I'm also a hypocrite and I fear that it has lead to something terrible."

"Your wraith?" Peter questioned him. Gabriel wondered if this was a good idea. Self-deprecating ideas were never attractive to him but it felt great to still fight for the good in the situation. He wanted to still think of himself as the Archangel, the angel of revelation, one of the good guy. However, he started to see the gray area he possessed. He wasn't black or white, yet a gainsboro slate sort of mix. 

"Sure." Gabriel lied. Maybe he could confess to causing a rift between Heaven and Hell some other time. "That's it. I'm so gosh darn angry all the time. Drives me nuts."

"Alright, I'll strike it cause I sympathize with you. Do we feel the same, jury?" Peter looked to the jury of angels and the swarm of feathered beings talked amongst themselves for a while. After a minute or two, one of the angels held up a holy piece of paper with the titling 'LIGHT IT UP'. Gabriel smiled as the saint clanged his gabble against the podium. "Strike it!" Lighting shot down and the paper smoldered with the heavenly heat. "Now -," Peter eyed the parts of the manilla folder that weren't aflame," -I don't see anything here besides pettiness, I'm not going to judge that, but there's nothing else. So, Jury, we adjourn this processing till you come up with the verdict. See you soon, Gabriel." St.Peter got up from his place above the archangel and the court was pigeonholed. Gabriel's life was now in the hands of the holy beast. 

After half an hour, the angels went wild. The sound was audible through all of heaven. An unnerving cry of hundreds of antsy birds chirping for justice. St.Peter heard them all the way from the Holy Break room and raced back to his seat.

"Order! Order!" He brought the gabble down onto the surface. "Aye, by Christ, our Lord, and Savior, what be do you plee, Gabriel the architect?" 

Gabriel clenched his teeth and bit out, "Guilty."

"And, how does the Jury find you?" Everyone turned their attention towards the now silent choir of angels. One angel popped his head out of the crowd and strolled up to the front. 

"Aye, for sins of Vanity and Jealousy, we find him guilty as well."

"Great. Then that's it. Take him awa-"

"BUT!" The angel interrupted, "But, we see fit that he goes to Heaven. He might be the scum of the earth for loving a dog but he has a good heart, and he knows what's wrong with him. If one day I see that man in our company here, on our side, then I call it a good one." The angel shifted his weight and flashed Gabriel a warm smile before returning back into the court. The archangel couldn't believe it. Peter could believe it either, but he loosened his gip on the gabble and smashed it against the podium as the angles rejoiced in saying grace. 

"Lovely. Aye, Gabriel the architect, before you are brought into heaven is there something you'd like to state for the court? The angel of conformation, Uriel, has put in a word for a Gabriel looking for a corporation. That couldn't happen to be you?" The saint cocked an eyebrow at him and two cherubs rushed to Gabriel's shoulders, draping him in heavenly decorations of gold. Gabriel wondered if he admitted his true identity now if that would cause the court decision to be illegitimate. Better play it safe. 

"Oh, Uriel. That sweetie knows everything. In fact, I do need a corporation and I have a revelation to make." The archangel cracked his neck. He had been getting good at this lying business and Gabriel decided that if he was going to rob the St.Peter he was going to get as much out of it as possible. "I was told by God that the hatred between Heaven and Hell needed to be destroyed and that some obscure, but very human demon knew what would bring back the rift between the sides... And I think that thin was love. Love for each other and for ourselves. That we'd get so caught up in the regulars that hospitality we harbored for ourselves and our enemy would become mundane to the excitement that proceeds war. Can't have a war without a war and in this case, we can't have hatred without already wishing hatred to be there..." The archangel stepped to the top of the precipice and looked down onto the hellfire below him. "Well." He let out one last final breath. " That and I really appreciate the gifts."

The court was silent. The previous commotion from the angelic crowd was buried underneath a flurry of confusion. Peter averted his eyes back onto the holy bound folder to try to make sense of Gabriel's tirade. 

"..." Peter stammered out a hum before motioning the angel from the jury to come up to him. He whispered something to the heavenly host. The saint nodded and tried to speak. "That's great Gabriel. There are crazies in heaven, I hope you can make yourself comfortable." The cherubs placed themselves underneath Gabriel's arms and lifted him off the ground, carrying him up to the ceiling. The archangel braced himself for impact with the holy dry-wall but was sucked into it and found himself being carried into the holy break room. Sandalphon was at the heavenly water cooler and great shock washed over him at the sight of the angel of revelation. 

"GABRIEL!" The small man greeted him. 

"SANDALPHON!" Gabriel answered picking Sandalphon up into his arms. "I'm so happy to see you!" Then Gabriel realized what he was doing and let go. "Sorry for the, ah, hug."

"No worries, mate. You're here so I guess that means you have passed Probate. Good for you." Sandalphon patted him on the shoulder and offered his paper cup of holy water. Gabriel excepted it and drank it like a shot of fireball, letting out a loud groan as it brought him back to his senses.

"I know, right? Thought for sure me and old scratch would be rubbing elbows by now."

"Ten dollars says you'd be rubbing more than elbows."

"Shut up." Gabriel pushed the cup back to him. "Why do people say that? I don't have any money." the archangel whispered under his breath. He breathed deeply and walked across the hall into the holy board room. Micheal was still in there playing with scriptures. "Micheal." He addressed her.

"Gabriel," she spoke in sour tones. "Nice to see that you are back."

Gabriel chuckled at her enthusiasm. He wouldn't let her disappointment bring down his good mood. "Nice to see you too." His hand just so happened to find her shoulder and he gave it a warm squeeze. Micheal winced.

"I heard your statement in court. You really think that's what God meant?"

"Bro," The archangel moved in an animated manner to a seat. "Bro, angels can't lie." Micheal nodded her head and put down the book of Enoch. "Besides... I think that I already broke the balance between Heaven and Hell anyway, so it really doesn't matter what I think now."

They stared at each other for a while. Micheal, gauging if what Gabriel said was sarcasm and Gabriel trying and failing to look calm. "What?" Micheal coughed.

"You know, the part about the demon, I meant that. I think our next step forward in dealing with Hell is some tea with Beelzebub. I hope she'll be up to it." Gabriel removed his gaze to look down guiltily at his hands. 

**Author's Note:**

> This fic has gotten more hits on it than any of my other ones, so a great big thank you to all of ya'll that have read it. I'm celebrating by drinking so hot cocoa. Btw comments are much appreciated. Thanks for all the support and have a good night ☺.


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